LG polls hold today in Kaduna, Oyo
APC shifts congress in Imo
Local government elections will hold in all council areas of Kaduna and Oyo states today to decide who run the local governments as chairmen and councilors.
Kaduna has not elected chairmen and councilors at the local government and ward levels since 2015 when the last set was sacked by the current administration.
It would be the first time elections at that level would be conducted through the electronic system of voting in the state.
It looks likely to be a close contest between candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The Kaduna Coalition of Political Parties (KCPP) comprising 31 political parties has disclosed its intention to boycott the polls in the interest of peace, safety of lives and property of candidates and the general public.
But the PDP said it would participate in the polls, saying plans by the ruling party to rig the election were not enough reason to boycott it.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, the chairman and secretary of the coalition, Umar Ibrahim (Mairaqumi) and Mohammed Inuwa Wada described what they called a grand plan by the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) to disenfranchise voters and rig the election in favor of the APC.
Some of the parties that make up the coalition include the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Alliance, Democratic People’s Party, Democratic People’s Congress, Action Democratic Congress, Social Democratic Party, Labour party and All Progressive Alliance, among others.
The PDP chairman and former Minister of State for Aviation, Hassan Hyet, said: “Though PDP does not have confidence in the State Independent Electoral Commission, it has great confidence in the electorate who are ready to kick out the APC government.”
The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) said election would hold in 4,783 poling units and 5,260 polling points in today’s election.
Chairman of the commission, Mr. Jide Ajeigbe, said in Ibadan yesterday, that 12 political parties would participate, adding that the commission will make use of over 10,000 ad-hoc staff.
The APC also postponed tomorrow’s Local Government Areas Congress in Imo State, pending receipt of the Appeal Committee’s report on the Ward Congress conducted in the state. Governor Rochas Okorocha met with the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other members of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC), where the decision was reached.
According to the National Chairman, who confirmed the development, a new date for the LG congress will be announced in due course. Chief Odigie-Oyegun said: “It’s been shifted, pending the report of the Appeal Committee.”