Enugu, Imo, Kwara residents elect council chairmen, councillors

After six years of administering the 27 local councils of Imo State through caretaker committees, residents of the state will today elect chairmen and councillors to oversee the councils.

Also, in Enugu State, the people will today vote to elect chairmen and councillors of their choice in the 17 local councils in the state. The last council election in Imo was held in 2018 during the administration of Rochas Okorocha. His successor, Emeka Ihedioha, dissolved the elected council officials for appointed caretaker committees.

Those appointed were, however, sacked on January 15, 2020, when the Supreme Court pronounced the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma as the rightful winner of the 2019 general election. The governor appointed another set of caretaker committees and he had sustained that arrangement since then.

In June this year, however, Uzodimma, who is in his second term in office, announced willingness to conduct an election at the grassroots with the inauguration of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), chaired by Chief Charles Ejiogu.

Except in three local councils of Okigwe, Orsu and Onuimo, where insecurity has continued to thrive, today’s election will be held in 24 others, just as the ISIEC said it has mobilised 15,000 ad-hoc workers to help prosecute the exercise.

However, the Labour Party decided to pull out of the exercise as its chairman, Callistus Ihejiagwa, said they had no confidence in the administration in the state to allow a “free, fair, transparent and credible” election.

Ihejiagwa, who is a lawyer, also told The Guardian: “At the moment, we are not participating in the election. There is no problem, but we don’t have confidence in the electoral process as presently constituted.”

With that, the contest is expected to be between the ruling APC, the APGA and the PDP. Those who emerged from the exercise will lead the various local councils for another two years.

Meanwhile, the Enugu election appears to be a rematch between the PDP and LP as the parties have lined up candidates for the poll. At the signing of a peace accord on Wednesday in the state for the exercise attended by other political parties, both parties were absent from the meeting; a development that raised worries about their intentions.

But the State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, had given assurance of the readiness of his men and other sister security agencies to protect lives and property, even as he urged eligible voters to go and vote.

Also, state chairman of Enugu Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), Chris Ngwu, announced that plans had been concluded for a peaceful exercise, devoid of rancour, adding that materials had been mobilised to ensure fair contest.

Similarly, local council elections will also be held today in Kwara State. The state Police Command, on Friday, said as a result of the election, there would be restrictions of movement between 12:00 midnight of Friday, September 20 and 6pm of Saturday, September 21, 2024.

The order on the restrictions, which would be fully enforced according to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, who is the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, was made to ensure a seamless electoral process and guarantee security of lives and property before and after the elections.

Ejire-Adeyemi, who spoke on behalf of the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Victor Olaiya, however, said that exceptions would be given to persons rendering essential services, accredited electoral officials, authorised media personnel, electoral observers and emergency responders.

“Armed security personnel on VIP protection/escort duties have been restricted from escorting their VIPs to the polling boots.” She urged residents to comply with the directive, warning that defaulters would face the full wrath of the law irrespective of status or age.

The command’s spokesperson rolled out the following mobile numbers for any complaints, observations or irregularities at polling units. They are: 0703 206 9501, 0812 527 5046, 08037098886, 08078255661 (SMS or WhatsApp Messages only).

Both the state chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Sunday Fagbemi, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tunde Mohammed, have declared the readiness of their candidates for the polls.

Checks by The Guardian revealed that many qualified voters residing in Ilorin who had registered at their local councils of origin are traveling out of the town in droves, in an apparent move at ensuring they exercise their franchises at the local level.