Before the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court that granted financial autonomy to the
seven hundred and seventy four local governments in Nigeria on Thursday, July 11, 2024, the
Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma approved the conduct of local government
elections in Imo and inaugurated a seven-man Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (
ISIEC) headed by Chief Charles Ejiogu.
In exercising the powers vested in it by section three of the 1999 constitution (as amended ), the
Commission published the guidelines and regulations for the conduct of the elections.
This was followed by the issuance of the mandatory sixty days election notice to all the
registered political parties in Imo and slated the election to hold in all 305 electoral wards of the
27 Local Governments Areas (LGAs) on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
Similarly, Imo State House of Assembly recently passed a bill for a law to invalidate the local
government law no. 15 of 2000 to provide for the establishment of structure, composition,
finance , functions and administration of LGAs in the state.
The bill which has been signed into law by Gov. Hope Uzodimma specified the process of
nominating candidates for the election, age of the candidates, required qualifications and tenure
of elected local government chairmen and councilors.
According to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ( as amended ) , for a
person to contest an elective office in Nigeria, he or she must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth and
must be educated to at least school certificate or its equivalent.
He or she must be a member of a registered political party and nominated and sponsored by the
party for the election.
Also, the person must not be a lunatic or an ex-convict of a criminal offense by a court of
competent jurisdiction or a tribunal.
The constitution also stipulates that any civil or public servant in any of the three levels of
government wishing to contest an elective post must resign his or her appointment, withdraw or
retire voluntarily from service thirty days before the election.
With the conclusion of party primaries by some political parties through direct or indirect,
concensus or zoning method , which produced flag bearers from different political parties, the
stage appears set for political campaigns for votes across the length and breadth of the twenty
seven local governments areas of Imo State by the successful candidates.
To this end, candidates for the September 21 LGA poll are expected to adhere strictly to the
rules and regulations guiding political campaigns by ensuring that their campaigns are
issues-based and devoid of defamatory, derogatory, provocative and inflammatory rhetoric.
Unfortunately, many politicians hardly keep or honor their campaign promises of heaven on
earth or pledges to the electorate after winning elections.
They are reminded that the local government election is not a do-or-die election but rather a
democratic process of electing people of unquestionable integrity who have what it takes to
conscientiously and selflessly deliver the dividends of democracy to the rural people.
It is also a call to service to contribute to the growth and development of democracy at the
grassroots and not an opportunity to feather their nests, those of their cronies or allies.
The candidates should be made to sign pre-election agreement or undertaking to maintain peace,
law and order in their respective local governments before, during and after the elections and to
work with those who emerge victorious at the polls instead of instigating violence.
On its own part , the ISIEC should strive to contribute to the sustainability of democracy at the
grassroots and rekindle public confidence in both the commission and the electoral process by
being non-partisan and impartial in the conduct of the forthcoming LGA elections.
As elections are based on the free will, consent and mandate of the people, Imo people expect
ISIEC to conduct free, fair, credible and transparent local government elections.
Anything short of this would mean electoral malfeasance and flagrant violation of the people’s
fundamental rights.
The rural people should be given the opportunity to exercise their civic right to freely elect the
candidates they wish to lead them, candidates with unquestionable integrity, charisma,
competence, respect for rule of law, fundamental human rights and fear of God.
Our local governments are in dire need of tested and trusted technocrats with unwavering
commitment to reposition, reform and transform the rural communities.
There should be no imposition of any candidate on the people for whatever reason.
The commission should guide against inadequate provision of Bimodal Voter Accreditation
System machines ( BVAS ), late or non arrival or non distribution of sensitive election materials
to the polling units, diverting or snatching of ballot papers, ballot boxes and result sheets by
political thugs or hoodlums.
Most importantly, the political parties should not make Nigeria a one-party state by boycotting
elections conducted by various States Independent Electoral Commissions, unregulated
defections with people’s mandate and switching loyalty and allegiance to rival political parties.
Boycotting LGA elections can be interpreted to mean conceding defeat or inability or failure to
meet the constitutional requirements for their operations.
There is the compelling need for all party agents to thoroughly scrutinize, examine and
authenticate all the sensitive election materials before the commencement of voting and after
voting on the election day.
The security agencies should ensure adequate security of ISIEC electoral officials, adhoc staff,
candidates, voters and sensitive election materials.
They should resist being manipulated or used to either facilitate the snatching of sensitive
election materials or intimidate the candidates, party agents or voters at polling units or collation
centers.
Security agencies and agents are expected to enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act
particularly those relating to political thuggery , political terrorism, buying and selling of voter’s
card, arrest and prosecution of electoral offenders.
The 10th National Assembly should revisit , review and facilitate the passage of the bill seeking
to establish a National Independent Electoral Offences Commission.
Vote buying or selling is the bane of Nigeria’s democracy and must be checked at all levels
through legislation.
Vote buying or selling erodes public trust in the credibility of any election and the legitimacy of
the electoral process.
All eligible voters in Imo with permanent voter cards are urged to come out en masse on
Saturday, September 21, 2024 to vote for candidates of their choice who will ensure judicious
and transparent use of the local government resources to tackle the problem of insecurity,
unemployment, rural-urban migration, poverty and diseases, lack of clean water, electricity and
motorable roads in their communities.
The voters should be encouraged to vote wisely and resist the temptation to sell their votes or
succumb to financial and material inducements by the candidates, political parties or their agents
before, during or after the elections.
Voters should be reminded that vote for cash or cash for vote is a criminal offence punishable
under section twenty one of the 2022 Electoral Act with two years jail term or a fine of five
hundred thousand naira.
Finally, the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals should be constituted to handle
electoral disputes that may arise from the conduct of the local government elections.
The tribunals should ensure prompt adjudication and disposal of all electoral disputes within the
stipulated time frame
