The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) has guaranteed a free, fair, and peaceful election process to the people of Imo State ahead of the next local government elections, which are scheduled for September 21 throughout the state’s 27 LGAs.
The guarantee was provided by Commission Chairman Charles Ejiogu to attendees of a stakeholders’ meeting on how to hold a credible election.
According to Ejiogu, the upcoming election would mark the fifth time the state has undertaken a vote of this kind since democratic rule was restored in 1999. The previous polls were held in 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2018.
The head of ISIEC emphasized the significance of the exercise, but he insisted that the only way to strengthen democratic aspects at the local level and ensure equitable development in rural areas is through the third tier of government.
He said that in accordance with the 2000 statute that established the Commission and the amendments made to it by statute No. 14, ISIEC is authorized to oversee and manage free, transparent, and legitimate local government council elections throughout the state.
“To this end, ISIEC has scheduled to conduct the much-expected council elections in the 305 Registration Areas/Wards and in all the 4,758 polling units in the 27 Local Government Area Councils of Imo State on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
“Therefore, the Commission is taking this opportunity to assure all critical stakeholders of its preparedness to perform its constitutional duty.
“Today’s stakeholders’ meeting is to release election guidelines and a timetable as part of the activities that will ultimately usher in the emergence of 27 democratically elected Council Chairmen, their Deputies, and 305 Councilors,” he said.
The chairman of ISIEC continued by saying that preparations are well on for the hiring of both internal and field ad hoc staff.
Speaking of security, he said that the Commission is aware of how important it is to set up impenetrable security. In order to ensure a flawless exercise, he stated that they are in contact with the heads of security agencies and will do all it takes to accomplish that goal. He insisted that sufficient ground force and logistics would be installed because they are essential to the success of the upcoming council elections.
Chief Ejiogu also underlined the Commission’s continuous efforts to raise awareness and mobilize important stakeholders, noting that meetings with presidents general, political leaders, traditional rulers, and other pertinent entities are still scheduled to take place.
“We are also liaising with other democratic institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and we are satisfied with their level of support so far, even as we look forward to more of such support. The security agencies have also assured us of their readiness to render necessary assistance. The voluntary agencies are not left out in this regard, and we cannot take any of them for granted,” he informed.
In addition, he emphasized the media’s significance for the upcoming exercise and the fourth estate of the realm’s continued status as sacrosanct stakeholders and established strategic partners.
Similarly, the head of ISIEC took the opportunity to praise the governor for providing the means for the exercise to take place and pledged that he would fulfill his end of the bargain.
Heads of security agencies, presidents general, sole administrators of the state’s 27 LGAs, political figures, traditional leaders, market women, youth groups, and religious leaders were among those in attendance at the conference.
