The Abia state Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) has fixed November 2 as date for the state local government chairmanship and councillorship elections.
Meanwhile, the 19 registered political parties and other stakeholders who assembled to during the unveiling of the timetable on Monday, complained that the time is too short for parties to adequately mobilize, finance and meet-up with the processes for the election.
The parties claimed that the ABSIEC timetable took them unaware and pleaded that it be adjusted for convenience sake.
However, a glance at the timetable shows that the processes for the elections starts on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 with Political party primaries, followed sequentially with the submission of list of candidates.
Screening of candidates by the ABSIEC, hearing of appeals by screening committee; substitution and screening of substituted candidates; final publication of list of candidates; electioneering campaigns will follow in this order.
Im each of the processes, the ABSIEC will monitor to ensure strict compliance and due process.
Addressing the political parties and stakeholders, including representatives from the Abia state House of Assembly, the Chairman of the ABSIEC, Professor George Chima explained that commission is speeding things up based on the directive of the federal government to conduct Local government elections within three months.
He urged political parties to adjust accordingly, to accommodate the timeframe. He made it clear that the doors of the Commission would remain open for parties to confer with ABSIEC, in case of any unforeseen hitches.
Prof Chima explained that the elections would be conducted with INEC Voters register and the body will also ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible , making use of every available conventional security apparatus.
He assured of the desire and determination of the commission to ensure that the right things are done rightly in the bid to usher-in true domestic principles in the system remains pivotal.
"Local Government councils in 2024 will no longer be business as usual. The commission is highly determined to make the elections free, fair and credible and also ensure that the elections will be seen as such," he said.
The State chairman of the Interparty Advisory Council, Mr. Uluocha Chimex, congratulated the ABSIEC for starting the processes that would lead to the conduct of elections into the LG councils and assured that the political parties in Abia state will co-operate and work with ABSIEC.
Chimex, who is of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), commended the commission for promising to throw its doors open for further and regular consultations in order to make for a credible local government elections.
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