Taraba postpones council poll, Yobe holds exercise Feb 11

The Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) has postponed local council election by two weeks from February 11 to February 25, 2016.

Chairman of the TSIEC, Dr. Philip Duwe, who made this known on Tuesday in a telephone interview in Jalingo, said late arrival of sensitive materials was responsible for the postponement of the exercise.

He, however, stated that the commission had made significant progress in preparation for the poll and was willing to carry on with the exercise as rescheduled.

He said, “The election materials are not coming as expected. The commission has achieved 80 per cent success in the process. But we are postponing the elections due late arrival of electoral materials to enable us tighten the loose ends.”

Duwe debunked insinuations that the security challenges in some parts of the state compelled the commission to postpone the election. He added that the commission did not receive any report on the security situation as to warrant a shift in the polls.

In a related development, all arrangements have been concluded to conduct elections in the 178 wards of the 17 local government areas of Yobe State on Saturday February 11, 2016.

Chairman of Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Alhaji Jauro Abdu, stated this on Tuesday in Damaturu. He said all electoral materials, manpower and security personnel were ready for the exercise. Seven political parties would participate in the polls.

“Elections in Gujba and Gulani local government areas will be done in the councils’ headquarters to ensure provision of adequate security during the exercise,” he added.

The Commissioner of Police, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, said about 2,000 policemen would be deployed for the exercise.