By Paul Nwosu
First, it’s important to note that before the Supreme Court ruling of Thursday, 11th of July, 2024, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR, in line with his inaugural speech to hold local government elections, has since set in motion the process that will make it happen.
To make good his promise, Governor Soludo finally signed the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission Bill on the 11th of June, laying the foundation for local government polls.
It is important to stress that Prof Soludo had long initiated the process of extensively revising, updating and signing the electoral law before the Supreme Court ruling.
In recognition of the constitutional role of the local government, Governor Soludo has without prompting, developed constitutionally assigned responsibilities such as waste management and sanitation, community security, primary health, education, markets management, etc to the local governments.
To reduce the burden of administration on the local government management when they eventually take over, the Governor shortly after he came into office, had started to gradually defray the arrears of pension and gratuity. He has reconstructed the seven(7) local government headquarters destroyed by rampaging gunmen at the inception of his administration and liberated them from the grips of senseless criminality.
There is therefore no doubt that the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy is a welcome development to the governor who is committed to not only organize and conduct a truly free and fair local government elections but ensure sustainable grassroots development in Anambra State as he promised.
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