Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) has shifted the local government election scheduled for November 7, 2015 to January 16, 2016, thereby creating vacuums in the 25 local government councils of the state.
Announcing this yesterday the commission in a statement signed by the public relations officer Muhammad Alli stated that the NSIEC chairman, Mohammed Danlami Abubakar announced the new date at a stakeholder’s meeting held at the commission’s headquarters in Minna.
The statement added that the chairman of the commission explained to the political parties that the commission decided to shift the election because of the problem of logistics.
The chairman observed that the logistic problems being faced by the commission could compromise the peaceful conduct of the local government council election and told the political parties that demand for the use of card reader machine by the electorate has also necessitated the shift in the election date.
He told the political parties that the commission has put its request before the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Niger State for the release of the said machines but the machines could not be assessed.
While appealing to the leaders of the political parties to bear with the commission, he urged the political parties to educate their members on the challenges being faced by the commission.
Meanwhile, the tenure of the caretaker committees set up to take charge of the local government council has expired since 25th September 2015, thereby creating a vacuum in the local government council for over three months.
Source: Today
