Ahead of the September 28 Anambra State local government council elections, the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has sealed offices of the Labour Party (LP), Senator Victor Umeh, and that of Chief Edozie Njoku’s faction of the state-ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state.
Some officials of the state government, accompanied by persons dressed in military uniforms, heavily armed, sealed off the offices located in Udoka Housing Estate, Awka yesterday.
The state government agents who sealed off the offices claimed that the offices were located in residential areas and not business areas.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP gathered that Soludo also had his campaign office in the Housing Estate in 2010 when he ran for governor against Mr. Peter Obi’s re-election bid.
However, secretary of the Labour Party in the state, Chief C. J. Okoli-Akirika, in a swift reaction, condemned the sealing off of the political parties offices, and that of the LP’s Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial zone of the state.
Okoli-Akirika, a lawyer, described the action of the government as “unfortunate, bizarre, and brazen.” He said his party would initiate action in the Court to challenge the sealing off of the LP office.
He stated that the government did not serve his party any prior notice before sealing off the offices, but carried the action in a “maniacal, frenzied, and, frenetic commando-like operation”.
The sealing off of Chief Edozie Njoku’s factional office of the APGA which is the ruling party in the state was seen as attempt by Soludo to muzzle down the faction following its recent recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) based on Appeal Court ruling as against the Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa faction which is loyal to the state governor.
The sealing off of the party offices is also seen as attempt by Soludo to muzzle down the parties ahead of the coming local government council elections slated by the state Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to hold on September 28 for purposes of election chairman and councillors in the 12 LGs and 326 wards of the state.