www.odogwublog.com reports that an Awka High Court presided over by Anambra State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Peter Umeadi, has ordered the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to conduct local government elections in the state within 90 days.
Justice Umeadi made the order on Thursday 18th May 2017, in his judgment on a suit brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its 21 chairmanship candidates, challenging the constitution of caretaker committees to run the affairs of the 21 local government areas in the state.
In the suit titled: A/182/2016: APC &others vs. ANSIEC and others, APC and its 21 LG chairmanship candidates, representing all the councils asked the court to declare that the constitution of caretaker committee is illegal.
The respondents in the suit were ANSIEC, its chairman, the Attorney General of Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano, the Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Anambra State House of Assembly and the Speaker.
In his judgment, Hon. Justice Umeadi declared that the appointment of Transition Committees at the expiration of tenure of last democratically elected chairmen, as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.
He stated that the wrongful appointment of former local government chairmen, upon the expiration of their tenure, was unlawful as the law allows for such appointments only during emergency situation.
According to justice Umeadi, "It is hereby declared that the appointment of 9th-29th defendants as chairmen Transition Committee, at the expiration of their tenure as chairmen of elected council on 12-01-2016, by the the 4th defendant in the absence of an emergency or such like situation is wrongful, unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, and of no effect."
The court therefore ordered Anambra State Independent Elector Commission ANSIEC to conduct election into the 21 local government councils within 90 days, from the date of the judgement, inline with section 64(1) of the local government law of Anambra State(as amended).