Kaduna LG Polls For May 12 – KADSIECOM
BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – After several shifts in date, the long awaited local government council elections in Kaduna State has now been fixed for Saturday, May 12, 2018, Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM), Mrs Saratu Binta Dikko-Audu announced on Friday.
Unveiling elections’ timetable to stakeholders at the Commission’s office in Kaduna, Mrs Dikko-Audu said, “This is a formal notification of local government polls in the state.”
She said KADSIECOM exists to ‘organise, undertake and supervise local government polls in the state’, adding that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be used while electioneering campaigns can begin immediately.
According to her, political parties’ primaries are to hold between February 20 and March 27, 2018 with the electioneering campaign scheduled to end midnight of May 11, 2018.
The Commission boss, who urged candidates and their parties to respect the serenity of the environment by ensuring their campaign materials do not deface the environment, said; “Candidates and politicians should respect rule of law and ensure they support us in conducting elections that are free, fair and credible.”
She however allayed fears among stakeholders by assuring that the EVMs would be at every wards and the electorate can see how they work before the election.
Reacting to the announcement, the Kaduna State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Honourable Ibrahim Wusono, said though unveiling of the timetable was a welcome development, the party would want to inspect the EVMs, at least seven days before the elections’ date.
He said; “This will give us confidence that the Governor and the ruling party will not use it to their advantage.”
