The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has accused the Anambra State Government of attempting to undermine the rule of law by proposing amendments to the state’s Local Government Council Act. The party alleges that these changes would violate the 1999 Constitution by requiring National or State House of Assembly lawmakers to endorse nomination forms for Local Government Council positions, instead of the State or National Chairmen of political parties.
In a statement on Wednesday, APGA’s National Secretary, Alhaji Muhyideen Imam, expressed deep concern over the proposed amendment, describing it as a blatant disregard for legal precedents, specifically targeting the leadership of Chief Edozie Njoku, who was affirmed as the National Chairman of APGA by the Supreme Court.
Imam pointed out that the Anambra State Government, through a representative, had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling that validated Njoku’s leadership. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already recognized the Supreme Court’s judgment, which corrected a clerical error that initially misidentified the party’s chairman.
INEC, in its court filings, reaffirmed that the Supreme Court had validated the Owerri Convention of APGA, from which Chief Edozie Njoku’s leadership emerged. This judgment rendered any attempts to alter the Local Government Council Act as an effort to sideline Njoku’s leadership, which the Supreme Court had explicitly recognized.
The APGA National Secretary also noted that INEC had acknowledged the existence of two parallel conventions in May 2019—one in Awka and the other in Owerri. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling ultimately validated the Owerri Convention and the leadership that resulted from it.
Imam criticized the Anambra State Government for attempting to distort the legal process and disregard established court rulings. He emphasized that INEC, as a legal entity, is bound to adhere to court judgments, and any attempts to bypass these rulings would be a direct violation of the rule of law.
The statement concluded with a call for the Anambra State Government to respect the judiciary’s decisions and uphold the principles of justice and fairness in its legislative processes.
