Anxiety has lessened for the current local government chairmen and 184 ward councillors in Abia State, as the Labour Party (LP) has rejected claims of their disqualification from the local elections on November 2.
On Monday afternoon, Emmanuel Nwaeze Oti, the Chairman of the Labour Party in Abia State, refuted the claims, emphasizing that the reports did not originate from his party. He sought to clarify the situation, reinforcing that the information circulating was not credible and urging the public to disregard it, as it was not officially sanctioned by the Labour Party.
Social media circulated reports on Monday morning suggested that all 17 local government chairmen, known as mayors in Abia, along with their deputies and councillors, were barred from seeking re-election in the upcoming polls.
The report claimed that the Labour Party, the ruling political party in Abia State, decided to exclude serving Local Government Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen, and 184 ward councillors from the upcoming Local Government elections, stating that the announcement was reportedly made during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting at Governor Alex Otti's residence on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
It also mentioned that the incumbents were barred from participating in the election for failing to resign from their roles 30 days before the party primary elections. They referenced Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2012 and noted that this decision was reached during a stakeholders’ meeting at the residence of Governor Alex Otti on Sunday, September 29.
The report further suggests that the party may decide to adopt consensus candidates for the primaries scheduled on October 3 and 4, 2024.
Oti rejected the report as mere speculation and urged both the LGA chairmen and the public to ignore it.
This unconfirmed report has heightened anxiety as they prepare for the upcoming polls, making the situation increasingly tense for those involved in the election process. Reports also reveals that the initial reports sparked concern among the LGA mayors, many of whom had already invested significant resources in establishing their campaign infrastructures for the November 2 elections.
Recall that the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) scheduled the local government elections for Saturday, November 2, 2024, but rising concerns about the election's conduct are evident due to very little campaigning and political activities among the parties.
