Ahead of the 28 September local government election, the Anambra State House of Assembly has amended the State Electoral (Amendment No 3) Law 2024.
The state House of Assembly passed the amendment during plenary in Awka, the state capital, on Thursday thereby becoming the third time state Electoral Law was amended this year in precisely the last one month.
The motion for the amendment was moved at the plenary on Thursday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Obi Nweke, who represents Anambra East constituency. It was seconded by Hon. Nobel Igwe (Ogbaru 1 constituency).
This action, according to the lawmakers, was in line with the Standing Order of the House in Order 74, clause one, where the rule allows the three readings to be completed in one day with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the members present.
While leading the debate, Nweke clarified that the amendments were necessary to prevent a gap in the local government system and to avoid ambiguity in council tenure, ensuring the law was clear and to reduce unnecessary litigation.
He said: “The first amendment was to recapture the tenure of the entire council for a period of two years.
“The second amendment was just a typographical error, referred to Section 23 and 24 instead of 24 and 25. It’s just a minor amendment to ensure clarity for the entire local government council to avoid ambiguity that may lead to unnecessary litigations.
“The amendment was effected on Section 110 of the Principal Law, where a new subsection four was inserted to show clarity in the parent law, and which seeks to dissolve the local government council at the expiration of a period of two years, commencing from the date of inauguration of the council.
“In the parent law, the tenure of Chairman and deputy was specified as two years, excluding Councillors. But this one captured all of them”.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze said the law shall be cited as Anambra State Electoral Law No 3 2024 and shall take effect on 12 September 2024.
The last amendment to the state Electoral Law came precisely last month, and it is less than 16 days before the local government elections.
