LG Election: KANSIEC closes sale of nomination forms, 12 political parties ready for poll

Kano State Independent Electoral Commission says it closed sales of nomination forms for the January 16^th, 2021 local government elections on Thursday.

Also, the Commission said returning of already collected nomination form ends next Monday, 7th December.

KANSIEC Chairman, Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka stated this in on a Solacebase TV program straight talk on Thursday.

He was speaking on the preparedness and line up activities ahead of the January 2021 local government polls.

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‘’We’re commencing the training of electoral officers and their assistants next week while screening of the Chairmanship candidates and their Vice would be conducted upper week at the commission’s headquarters, ‘’said Prof. Sheka.

‘’ Also, the 44 electoral officers would conduct the screening of the Councilors across the local government areas in the state.’’

Political Parties in the election

Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka said 12 political parties have indicated interest to participate in the upcoming elections as they have obtained nomination forms for their candidates.

He explained that the two major political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Parties (PDP) are contesting the chairmanship seats and 484 councillors in all the local governments.

‘’Some of the other political parties have chairmanship contestants and councillors in other local governments not all.’’

On the issue of the Kwankwasiyya faction of the PDP withdrawal from the electoral exercise, the KANSIEC Chairman said,’’ as I speak with you, the PDP leadership have submitted the list of their candidates and restated commitment and confidence in the electoral process.

‘’The commission does not deal with a group of people or factions but rather political parties.’’

On the cost of N2.3bn for the council election been on the high side as alleged by the Kwankwasiyya faction of the PDP, the Professor of economics expressed surprise to the postulation noting that when compared to the inflationary trend in the country and the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount is even inadequate.

According to him, ‘’Its pathetic when criticisms are not constructive, do they look at how much would be expended in the production of electoral materials, logistics and payment of allowances to 48,000 ad-hoc staff?”

‘’Incidentally, we are not paying our ad-hoc staff as much as the previous exercise of 2018 due to paucity of fund.’’

Measures to ensure a credible election

Prof. Garba Ibrahim Sheka said the commission is engaging education officers at local government as electoral officers due to their been career civil servants for credibility as they have something at stake.

‘’The electoral officers employed would not work in their local government but deployed to other areas.’’

‘’We are already in collaboration with ICPC and NOA so as to sensitize on the dangers of corruption, bribery and fraud. Also, the anti-graft agency would do the needful for whoever is caught with malpractice.’’