Anambra and Kwara States Set Dates for Local Government Elections
In a significant development for local governance, the independent electoral commissions of Anambra and Kwara states have announced dates for their upcoming local government (LG) elections. These announcements come in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments across Nigeria.
Anambra State is set to hold its LG elections on Saturday, September 28, 2024. The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission has informed all registered political parties and the general public about the upcoming polls, which will take place across all 21 local government councils in the South-East state. Details regarding the election timetable and schedule of activities will be available at the commission’s headquarters in Awka from August 14, 2024.
Meanwhile, Kwara State has scheduled its LG elections for September 21, 2024. The Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission has stated that preparations are underway to conduct elections in all 16 local government councils of the North Central state. This move aims to install democratically elected chairmen, replacing the sole administrators who have been running the councils for nearly five years.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has expressed readiness for the exercise, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has voiced reservations about the planned elections.These announcements are part of a broader trend across Nigeria, with approximately 15 states either announcing or conducting local government elections in the past month. This surge in local electoral activity follows the Supreme Court’s July ruling, which mandated direct payment of monthly allocations to local government accounts, bypassing state governors. The court also prohibited governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils.
As both states prepare for these crucial elections, the move is seen as a step towards strengthening local democracy and ensuring more direct representation at the grassroots level. Political observers and citizens alike will be watching closely as these elections unfold, potentially setting new precedents for local governance in Nigeria.
