During the LP’s grand rally at the Baptist Convention grounds in Benin, in anticipation of the September 2 Local Government Council election in Edo State, Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, revealed that his tenure as the governor of Anambra State saw him unable to conduct local government elections for a span of six years due to ongoing court litigations.
Obi shared that despite the absence of these elections, the funds designated for the local government were diligently employed in advancing the development of the respective localities. He asserted, “Throughout my governorship, the legal challenges and litigation prevented me from organizing local government elections for an extended period. Nevertheless, I can confidently affirm that the funds allocated to the local government were judiciously utilized within the local communities. I urge all of you to investigate and verify the flow of funds into Anambra State’s local government coffers to confirm this.”
Underlining the significance of the local government in terms of its proximity to the populace, Obi emphasized the importance of active participation by urging citizens to ensure the victory of the party’s nominated candidates in the upcoming elections. He remarked, “The local government stands as the closest point of contact with the people, making its role in development pivotal. It serves as the foundation for progress, addressing crucial aspects like primary healthcare and education, both integral components of development.”
He said , It is still the local government. When you talk about education, you talk about basic education, which is primary and secondary education and it is the local government who will be the one to fund it.
He further said, as you know today in Nigeria, there is mass poverty and that mass poverty is in the local government. So, for the system to work, a country that develop well, it is the local government, the sub national which is the state and the central government.
“So the central government will come through the sub national to the local government. So anything development is domiciled in the local government,” Obi said.
Speaking also, the national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, while commending the party for their turn out in the state during the presidential election, said they should replicate same in the forthcoming local government elections so that the party’s candidates will emerge winners in their various local government councils.
While also thanking the state governor, Godwin Obaseki for calling for the local government elections, said the governor should allow the process to be free, fair and credible.
For one of the leading governorship aspirants and former Nigerian Bar Association’s President, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, urged the candidates not to entertain any fear but go and cast their votes and wait for the outcome of the results.
Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, thanked the party’s presidential candidate for coming to Benin to boost the local government candidates morale ahead ahead of the election just as he urged party faithful to ensure that they deliver their party’s candidates in the election.
