NAN-H-34
Election
By Mohammed Mamman
Damaturu, Nov. 7, 2016 (NAN) The Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (YSIEC) has scheduled election into the 17 Local Government Council Areas of the state for Feb. 11, 2017.
This is coming after the commission released timetable for the election on Monday.
The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Muhammad Jauro, said at a stakeholders’ meeting in Damaturu.
Jauro stated that the timetable is in conformity with the 90 days’ notice for the conduct of the local government election as provided in the constitution.
He said the improved security situation in the state motivated the commission to release the timetable for the election.
The chairman of the commission said the commission had acquired an updated version of the state’s voter register from the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised.
“The commission is committed to conducting a free, fair and credible election into the local government councils.
“We seek the support of all stakeholders to achieve this,’’ Jauro said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the 12 political parties at the meeting indicated their willingness to participate in the election.
Going by the election timetable, political parties are to conduct primary elections between Nov. 8 and Nov. 17.
The parties are also expected to collect nomination forms from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1.
Submission of the nomination forms by the political parties is expected to be on Dec. 12 – that is 60 days to the election, while replacement of candidates can be made on Jan. 10, 2017.
According to the timetable, compilation, verification, release of list of candidates and substitution of candidates will be held from Jan 17 to Jan. 23, 2017 just before the election on Feb. 11, 2017.
The state Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and representatives of political parties praised the the commission for giving them a sense of belonging in the electoral process.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Umar Kukuri, said, “The political parties under the umbrella of IPAC are carried along through the meeting of the stakeholders, which allows for participatory and collective decision in the electoral process.’’ (NAN)
MM/DEB/YEE
Edited by Debo Oshundun/Emmanuel Yashim
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