The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will not take part in the January 11 local council election in Anambra State, eastern Nigeria.
One of the political party’s leaders in the State, Senator Chris Ngige, said that the decision was based on the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had planned to give the same voters’ register his party was contesting in court with INEC to the state’s electoral body.
“The same voters’ register used in the governorship election that we are contesting in court is what is expected to be used for the local council polls. “As I speak we have three versions of the voter’s register from the INEC. None of the three versions is good,” Ngige said.
The state governor, Peter Obi, who is of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, said that the election would be free and fair, but some other parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are sceptical about the credibility of the process.
They have expressed fears that the election might be postponed for a fourth time in 12 months.
The PDP leader in the state, Ken Emekeayi, called for compensation from the electoral body, insisting that the postponements of the election had cost them money.
Chris Ngige’s party had boycotted a rescheduled election in the State’s governorship election held in November claiming that minors were registered for the election.
They had presented an alleged voters’ register to the Channles Television showing pictures of minors.
But the electoral body said that minors were not registered for the election.
