OKONKWO TO GOV OBI: CONDUCT LG POLLS IN ANAMBRA NOW

AWKA - Senator Annie Okonkwo has called on Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State to urgently conduct local government elections in the state to avert crisis.

Okonkwo, who represented Anambra Central in the sixth Senate, made the call while addressing party stakeholders in Awka.

He lamented that the non-conduct of local government elections had denied the people  opportunity for grassroot administration.

According to him, the grave constitutional abnormality in Anambra State is the unhealthy reign of political apathy and stunted democratic growth at the grassroot.

He said:  'Now is the time for every stakeholder in the  state,which Peter Obi is the democratic flag carrier, to admit that the problems we have all suffered politically is man-made, and the solutions can only be people-driven.

'For the people to drive this process successfully therefore, we must honestly resolve to unselfishly grant them full participatory ownership of the governance processes at their doorstep, the local government.

'That is where our governor holds the key, and which I insist we must collectively persuade him to unlock and open. I say persuade because the expedient phobia to act, or the convenient  inertia to transparently deliver this foremost democratic dividend to Anambra grassroot people, has clearly outgrown every stock of rational excuses the government has, making the only compelling path of courage and restitution left being to conduct this simple local government elections very quickly.

'This is of utmost importance because as the 2014 exit date of the government draws nearer slowly but steadily, Gov Obi owes the state a politically enabled environment through a grassroot prepared populace that will compel every Anambrarian, big or small, poor or rich to return to our coveted value, that the ordinary people in our clans, villages, towns, and local governments remain the only legitimate and honourbale ladder to power and leadership.'