Imo postpones native authorities election

The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) has indefinitely postponed the native authorities council election scheduled for November 7, 2026.

The fee’s chairman, Chief Charles Ejiogu, introduced the postponement on Saturday throughout a stakeholders’ assembly in Owerri, saying the electoral physique was constrained to droop the train.

Although Ejiogu didn’t disclose any particular motive for the most recent postponement, he assured political events and different stakeholders {that a} new date, timetable and pointers can be introduced inside the shortest doable time.

The election was initially scheduled for September 26, 2026, however was later shifted following issues over pending litigations, with the state authorities saying the train couldn’t proceed on the time.

ISIEC guarantees new election timetable

Explaining the fee’s resolution, Ejiogu stated it had consulted broadly earlier than deciding that the November 7 election would not maintain.

“At this juncture, having consulted widely, the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission is constrained to announce that the scheduled Saturday 7th November, 2026 Local Government Council Elections will no longer hold,” he stated.

The ISIEC chairman stated the stakeholders’ assembly was organised to supply a chance for individuals to specific their views and make knowledgeable recommendations because the fee labored in direction of fixing one other date.

He assured residents and political stakeholders that the electoral physique wouldn’t abandon its constitutional accountability of conducting native authorities elections.

“Rest assured that within the shortest possible time, the commission will announce the new date, time table and guidelines,” Ejiogu acknowledged.

He added that the fee remained dedicated to conducting a peaceable, clear and credible election that will produce democratically elected native authorities chairmen and councillors.

Commission assures events of degree enjoying discipline

Ejiogu additionally assured political events and their aspirants that ISIEC would offer a degree enjoying discipline for all candidates contesting the chairmanship and councillorship positions.

He urged political events to embrace tolerance and be sure that their actions didn’t undermine the peaceable conduct of the forthcoming elections.

The chairman stated the fee was additionally working with safety companies in direction of establishing an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

According to him, the proposed committee would comprise the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and different related safety companies.

He defined that the association was meant to make sure sufficient safety earlier than, throughout and after the native authorities elections.

ISIEC urges political events to signal peace accord

The electoral fee additionally referred to as on the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to signal and uphold a peace accord to advertise peaceable political actions and stop violence through the election.

Ejiogu warned that no particular person or group can be allowed to subvert the need of the citizens within the forthcoming council polls.

He stated the stakeholders’ assembly was geared toward listening to issues, acquiring helpful recommendations and securing the understanding and cooperation of political events and different individuals.

The chairman expressed confidence that collective efforts by the fee, political events, safety companies and different stakeholders would assist set up the required safeguards for a peaceable, clear and credible native authorities election within the state.