The omission of funds for the conduct of local government elections in Governor Soludo’s 2024 budget has sparked a protest from Henry Mbachu, the representative for Awka South Constituency I in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
During the budget presentation, Governor Soludo unveiled a N410 billion budget to the assembly members, a move that was met with mixed reactions.
Mbachu’s discontent with the budget stems from Governor Soludo’s campaign pledge to conduct council polls before his election in 2021, a promise yet to be fulfilled.
Addressing the plenary on Wednesday, Mbachu highlighted his concerns: “A careful review of the budget estimate shows no indication of plans to hold LGA elections next year.
“On page 475, the budget allocation for the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission for the current year was N89,120,000, while the projected estimate for the incoming year is N129,120,000.
“The absence of provisions for local government elections in the upcoming year is alarming. The lack of these elections has detrimentally affected the functioning of local government, the very foundation of governance.
“I strongly believe that the third tier of government, being the cornerstone of leadership and political education, deserves to be accorded the necessary attention. It is imperative that this issue is given due consideration before the budget proceeds to the next reading stage.”
