The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has reaffirmed that the state’s local government elections will hold on August 29, despite a legal challenge filed by 56 serving councillors over the tenure of elected council officials.
ANSIECchairman, Genevieve Osakwe, disclosed this in Awka on Monday, saying the commission remained committed to its preparations for the election and had no directive from any court to suspend the electoral process.
The development follows a suit filed by the 56 councillors before the Anambra State High Court in Awka, challenging the constitutionality of the state government’s decision to limit the tenure of elected local government officials to two years.
In Suit No. A/261/2026, the councillors joined the Attorney General of Anambra State, the Anambra State House of Assembly and ANSIEC as defendants.
The plaintiffs are challenging Section 110(A) of the Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law, 2024, arguing that the provision conflicts with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for a democratically elected local government system.
The councillors maintain that their tenure has not expired and that they are entitled to remain in office for four years from the date of their inauguration.
They are asking the court to declare the two-year tenure provision unconstitutional, null and void, and to order its removal from the state’s electoral law.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order recognising a four-year tenure for elected local government chairmen, deputy chairmen and councillors.
In addition, they want the court to restrain the Anambra State Government and ANSIEC from dissolving the existing councils or conducting elections to replace the serving officials until the completion of what they describe as their constitutional tenure.
The councillors have further asked the court to stop ANSIEC from publishing election timetables or taking other steps towards replacing the serving officials pending the determination of the case.
However, Osakwe said the legal action had not affected the commission’s preparations for the August 29 election.
According to her, the mere filing of a suit does not automatically halt an electoral process.
“The commission has not received any directive requiring it to suspend the electoral process scheduled for August 29,” Osakwe said.
“As you can see, we are in our offices working ahead of the conduct of the election. It is not automatic that when a suit is filed in court, the electoral process will stop.”
She urged political parties in the state to continue with their preparations, assuring stakeholders that the commission remained focused on conducting a credible election.
“As the electoral umpire, we urge political parties in the state to continue preparing for the election. ANSIEC remains focused on delivering a credible electoral process,” she said.
The commission chairman also assured political parties and candidates that the election would be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022 and relevant Anambra State electoral laws.
The dispute over the tenure of the serving councillors has, however, created uncertainty ahead of the planned local government transition.
For now, ANSIEC maintains that the August 29 election timetable remains in force unless the court issues an order directing the commission to suspend or alter the electoral process
