Anambra LG poll: Opposition political parties chicken out

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By Madu Obi

Opposition political parties have chickened out of Saturday's local government election in Anambra State, leaving only the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, as the sole contestant in 20 out of the 21 local government areas of the state.

The only local government where there will be a contest is Anambra East where a candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, is challenging the incumbent local government chairman.

At a campaign rally for the election at Otuocha on Wednesday, the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo observed that the opposition decided not to field candidates because it would amount to waste of time and resources for them to challenge APGA.

Addressing the people, Governor Soludo said: "Anambra is a fortress of APGA. Following my 73% score during the governorship election, other political parties felt there is no need for them to waste their money in Saturday's local government election and that is why they ran away.

"In 20 out of the 21 LGAs, no party fielded any candidate and so in those LGAs, the people will just be doing affirmation because it is democracy. In 20 LGAs, no party is challenging APGA and proper election will take place only in Anambra East. Anambra is APGA and APGA is Anambra and so, none of them wanted to waste their time and money.

"I want to tell Nigerians that in Anambra State, from the state to the local government areas, we are not just wetting the ground, we are pouring drums of water on the ground.

"We are putting money into the pockets of poor people through free qualitative education, free antenatal and delivery in which over 300,000 women have benefited.

"We have one youth two skills' programme where over 16,000 youths have been trained and empowered and thousands of them now profess to be young millionaires, primary health care where we have recruited 1500 medical personnel and over 8000 teachers recruited across the state. We're on massive acceleration in all the sectors."

On next year's general elections which will take place in January and February, Soludo said the state is currently booting.

"After booting, we launch and when we launch, it will be tsunami. Anambra is APGA land. We will unveil our presidential candidate, the Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates at the fullness of time.

"Our campaign for general elections will come, but you know that apart from the presidential election which will go to our president, others will go to APGA.

"We will vote for the president so that we will continue with our collaboration because there are so many things in the offing, which will enable us get our share from the federal government", he said.