By Chukwudi Ebele
Labour Party (LP) in Anambra State has criticized Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s new bill seeking to compel local governments in the state to remit portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account to be controlled by state government.
The bill, titled “Anambra Local Government Administration Law 2024,” was submitted to the Anambra State House of Assembly earlier in the week.
Addressing newsmen shortly after its youths executive maiden meeting in Awka, Youth Leader of the party, Comrade Ekene Nnadi described Soludo’s plans not to grant his “handpicked” Chairmen and Councillors access to Federal Allocation as a demonstration of mistrust on the same people he selected.
He applauded his party leadership, especially the house of Assembly members for distancing themselves from what he termed “fraudulent activities” going on in the House, especially their refusal to support the “Anambra Local Government Administration Law 2024”
He said, “We commend our state executive for boycotting the recently conducted local government selection. We commend them for not allowing our members, especially those interested in running for the poll to waste their money.
“As youth wing of the party, we commend their wisdom; quite unlike other parties who will go ahead to collect money from their aspirants in the name of purchasing forms even when they know the election is a sham.
“This act is quite commendable. There is nobody that has conscience that will approve what happened on September 28 in Anambra State.
“Secondly, we commend our State House of Assembly members for not being a party to fraudulent activities going on in the House.
“Their refusal to support the law that gives room for LG elected leaders to hand over their federal allocation to state government two days after collecting the money despite Supreme Court judgment on LG autonomy is laudable.
“The same man that handpicked the Chairmen and Councillors can’t grant them access to the Federal Allocation for the betterment of the people at the grassroots. This is a demonstration of lack of trust on the same people he selected. Something is really fishy.
“We equally thank our national leaders, especially our capacity Senator, Tony Nwoye for speaking out against evil and standing on the principles and vision of our dear party.”
Also speaking, Deputy Youth Leader, Anambra South, Prince Sir Ezefunanba Hygenus said the meeting was targeted at updating the youth leadership on the political development in the state so they could convey same to other members at the grassroots.
‘We’re here to show appreciation to our leadership. We also met to keep all our members across the Council Areas abreast on current development in the state, so they can cascade the message to members at the local level as the eyes of the party at the grassroots.
“What happened on September 28 was nothing to write home about. It was a rape of democracy. Someone who is a beneficiary of free and fair election could not conduct credible election in the state,” he decried.