From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Chairman of the Imo state Independent Electoral Commission ( ISIEC), Chief Charles Ejiogu has disclosed that the Imo state local government polls has been fixed to hold on Saturday, 21 September 2024 to usher in elected council Chairmen in the 27 council areas of Imo state.
The ISIEC chairman who made the discloure on Wednesday at a stakehokders meeting in Owerri, Imo state capital, assured critical stakeholders of the state Electoral body’s preparedness to perform its constitutional duty.
He also assured all registered political parties in the state of a level playing ground.
He said, “Pursuant to its establishment Law No 14 of 2000 as amended, the
Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) is charged
with the task of conducting and supervising a free, transparent, and
credible local government council elections in Imo State. To this
end, ISIEC has scheduled to conduct the much expected Council
elections into the 305 Registration Areas/Wards and in all the 4,758
polling units in the 27 Local Government Area Councils of Imo
State, come Saturday 21 September, 2024.
It has to be on record that
following Nigeria’s return to constitutional governance in 1999, the
forthcoming Local Government Council Elections into the offices of
Council Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councilors, will be the fifth
having had elections in 1999, 2004, 2010, and 2018 respectively at the third tier.”
He added , “Therefore, the Commission is taking this opportunity to assure all critical stakeholders of its preparedness to perform its constitutional
duty. Today’s stakeholders meeting is to release Election Guidelines and Time Table as part of the activities that will ultimately usher in the emergence of 27 democratically Council Chairmen, their Deputies, and 305 Councilors, in line with our earlier announcement of 24th May, 2024.
“The registered political parties are hereby enjoined to play according to the rules, even as the Commission appeals to them to connstructively engage their aspirants candidates by observing to the
utmost, the doctrine/principle of internal democracy. The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission will not shirk its mandated duty of observing the primaries as duly stipulated in Electoral Act as
amended.
The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) wishes to
dSsure all the registered political parties, their candidates and the
general public of a level plaving field for all contestants, while Seeking the understanding and cooperation of Imolities who have been looking forward to the emergence of elected grassroots
leadership.”
Chief Ejiogu also said that arrangement for the recruitment of Ad-Hoc personnel are in top gear which includes both field and internal Ad-Hoc personnel to assist in the conduct of the local government polls .
” We are liaising with other democratic institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and we are satisfied with their level of support so far, even as we look forward to more of such support. The security agencies have also assured us of their readiness to render necessary assistance. The voluntary agencies are not left out in this regard and we cannot take anyone
of them for granted.”
The Imo Electoral Boss Commended the government of Imo State for creating the enabling environment for
ISIEC to deliver on its mandate.
