Anambra IPAC Raises Alarm Over LG Poll, Campaign Cost, -Governor’s Accessibility.

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Anambra State, has raised concerns over the conduct of the recent local government election, the rising cost of political campaigns and what it described as the difficulty political parties face in accessing the state governor.

The issues are expected to dominate a press briefing scheduled for Monday, where the IPAC leadership, led by its State Chairman, Chief Eminent Uzochukwu, will present its position on the state of political participation and inter-party engagement in Anambra.
On the local government election,

Uzochukwu said some political parties had boycotted the exercise over issues surrounding the process, yet the election proceeded. The Young Progressives Party (YPP), which participated, won two councillorship seats.

IPAC is expected to use the development to renew its call for broader consultation with political parties and other stakeholders before future elections, stressing that credible democracy requires an environment in which all participating parties have confidence in the electoral processes.

High Cost of Political Campaigning
Another major concern is the prohibitive cost of political advertising, particularly the mounting of billboards and pasting of posters and other campaign materials.

According to IPAC, the financial burden involved in securing advertising spaces and deploying campaign materials could make political participation increasingly difficult, especially for smaller parties and candidates with limited resources.The council is expected to argue that while regulation of public advertising is necessary, the system should not create financial barriers capable of restricting political competition and visibility.

‘Reaching the Governor Is Like Passing Through the Eye of a Needle’
Perhaps the strongest concern raised by the IPAC chairman is the alleged difficulty political stakeholders encounter when seeking access to the governor.

Uzochukwu described the situation in striking terms, saying: “As stakeholders in Anambra State, reaching the Governor is like the biblical camel passing through the eye of the needle.”

He said political parties should have a functional channel of communication with the state government, particularly on issues affecting elections, governance and democratic participation.

The Monday briefing is therefore expected to serve not only as a platform for airing grievances but also as a call for greater consultation, open communication and stronger engagement between the government and political parties.

For IPAC, the underlying issue is simple: a healthy democratic environment requires political parties to be heard, electoral processes to command confidence, and legitimate stakeholders to have access to those responsible for governance.