Fresh facts have emerged why the much touted local government area elections scheduled for September, 2024 may not hold in Imo State.
After about three postponements despite promises of holding the election, the administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma a fortnight ago finally announced that Saturday, September 23, 2024 would be the day for the council p the
However, the statement credited to the Imo State Government about the conduct is being taking with caution as there are fears that it may go the other way like others without the election being held.
Recall that when Uzodimma came into power in 2020, he promised to have hold council elections within six months with the composition of the members of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, ISIEC.
After brief noise about the conduct nothing was heard about it again until two years ago. ISIEC activities remained dormant until last year when the government promised that it would conduct the LGA Elections before the November 11, 2023 Governorship election.
Trumpeta first blew the lid open in its Tuesday edition indicating fears that the election may not hold. The fear is not unconnected to complains from the parties of not been communicated officially of the intention to conduct the election as enshrined in the constitution.
The law provides that parties be written to about the conduct but what ISIEC did was to only inform the public about the exercise which is in contrast to the electoral laws.
Even as Trumpeta learnt that there are number of days allowed for the electoral body to do the official notification in writing and days allowed for it, the newspaper gathered that there other areas of neglect that not only poses danger to the conduct of election but also create fear of possibilities of the Imo State Government not going ahead with the conduct.
According to details available to Trumpeta, the state government or the electoral body, ISIEC, is yet to inform participants if the election would be through INEC or ISIEC wards. While previous administrations conducted the exercise by either ISIEC or INEC wards, that of Uzodimma was through autonomous communities. Ominous sign that Uzodimma administration may not go ahead as scheduled in September this year is the fact that the government is yet to name the process.
More fears that the election may not hold this September arise from the fact that the ISIEC and Government are yet to reveal if INEC, the custodian of voters card and other electoral items has been contacted for the conduct. It is expected that while announcing preparations for the conduct, mention about relationship with INEC should have been made to authenticate the desire of the Uzodimma administration to conduct the LGA Elections.
More frightening to conduct of the LGA Election is the inability of the government to give update on litigations that may have put it on hold in the past. From the Uzodimma administration till date, some legal impediments have remained a stumbling block to the conduct of the election as those who feel agrrieved had gone to court. There are fears that since the litigations have not been effectively disposed and all arrived parties satisfied, a fresh conduct may not be possible come September this year
