Anambra by-election: Coalition counts losses over delay in electing Ubah’s replacement

• Wants all parties to field candidates from Nnewi North Zone

From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

A group, the Coalition of Anambra South Progressives, has lamented the colossal losses incurred by the people of Anambra South Senatorial District following the delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting a senatorial by-election for the district to replace the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

Ubah died suddenly on July 27, 2024, and was buried on November 22, 2024.

The coalition comprises representatives from various political parties, including APGA, PDP, APC, and LP.

Spokesperson and leader of the coalition, Obi Trice Chukwuemeka, in a press briefing in Awka on Monday titled “A Call for Equity and Closure,” said fielding candidates from Nnewi North in the Anambra South Senatorial By-election should be a prerogative of all political parties while the election holds.

The coalition stated that the void over the non-election of a senator for the Anambra South District has left their people without a voice in the highest legislative body in the land, and it has become imperative that immediate actions are taken to address the anomaly and done in such a manner that the status quo is maintained and justice is seen to have been done.

“We gather here today to advocate for a fundamental principle of democracy: equity and fairness. We call on INEC to set the stage by fixing a date for the immediate conduct of a credible by-election to fill the void. Our constitution does not envisage a situation whereby a constituency is left without representation. It has been more than seven months since the death of our dear Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah, and in all this time, Anambra South has been denied the right to have a say in various governance issues affecting the federation.

“In a similar vein, we want to seize this opportunity to entreat all political parties to field candidates for the forthcoming Anambra South senatorial by-election from Nnewi North LGA whenever INEC declares the contest open. This is not just a matter of political expediency; it is a matter of equity, fairness, and closure. We believe that the people of Anambra South deserve to have options and to exercise their democratic right to choose their representative. However, we believe that this right must be exercised in the spirit of fair play, justice, and equity, which is a hallmark of the ‘onye aghana nwanne ya’ spirit of Ndigbo.

“By fielding candidates from Nnewi, it will be a show of solidarity with the people of Nnewi North, whose son died in active service. We are of the opinion that political parties need to be empathetic before thinking of political expediency, and there is no better time for political parties to prove these empathetic considerations than with the Anambra South senatorial by-election.

“We call on the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), and every other political party desirous of producing a candidate for the by-election to see it as a call to duty and selfless service.

“We are also aware that Nnewi North is not lacking in quality and intellectually deep thinkers who will champion the cause of Anambra South at the Senate. Thus, reserving the position for Nnewi North will enrich the process rather than diminish it by limiting the quality of candidates. We also call on INEC to fix the date for the by-election within the next two months.

“Infrastructure is decaying in Anambra South while our youths and women yearn for empowerment, but because we do not have a representative in the Senate, we have no means to access what is due to us. Furthermore, we are aware that the 2025 federal budget has been passed, and the absence of a representative has robbed us of our constituency allowance. We are also aware that by Q2 of 2025, the budget process for the 2026 budget will begin. INEC must ensure that this abandonment of Anambra South ends immediately.

“We also call on the people of Anambra South to come out en masse and exercise their democratic right to vote whenever the election date is fixed and to pressure all political parties to ensure that their candidates come from Nnewi North. We in Anambra South are peace-loving people who believe in equity and looking out for each other.

“This is not only a matter of equity but also a necessary step toward bringing closure to the Nnewi people, who were deeply affected by the loss of their son. By fielding candidates from Nnewi, political parties can demonstrate their commitment to equity and fairness. This would also allow the Nnewi people to serve out their turn, bringing a sense of closure and representation to the community,” the coalition stated.