In preparation for the 2020 Local Government General Election, the Kogi State Independent Election Commission (KOSIEC) held a stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, 9th June, 2020 at Golden Lounge, Lokoja and it was opened with a prayer led by Hon.Commissioner, Musa Baba Adama.
In his opening address, the Chairman KOSIEC, Hon.Mamman Nda Eri welcome all various party chairmen and some of whom were ably represented at the meeting. He stated that the meeting was called to sensitise the political party as part of preparations for the forthcoming local council poll and put them on their marks and as well brainstorm on an agreed date for the election before it would be made available to the citizens of Kogi State as well as Nigeria that Kogi is poised and prepared to conduct council poll so as to lay to rest the rumours making rounds that Kogi will not have elections.
The third schedule part II (B), Section 4 (a) Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides for the establishment of KOSIEC with the primary duty to “organize, undertake and supervise all elections to Local Government Councils within the state.” Section 21 of the KOSIEC Law provides that the Notice of Elections shall be published not less than 90 days before the date of election. The essence of this first stakeholders’s meeting is to seek the consent of all political parties of the state to brainstorm on an agreed date and timetable of events towards the conduct of free and fair elections. Chairman of KOSIEC, Mamman Nda Eri, in his keynote address at the stakeholders’ meeting, assured and promised that the commission would ensure a free, fair and credible election among parties and urged the political parties to play the game of electioneering according to the rule with a view to ensuring a peaceful, credible, free and fair Local Government Election in the state.
In his address at the meeting, the Chairman of Inter-party Advisory Council, Hon.Badanga expressed happiness and appreciation for the impressive turnout by the various political parties.
The meeting was well attended by stakeholders from majority of the political parties in the state such as the All Progressives Congress, APC; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Social Democratic Party(SDP), Labour Party, LP; and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, among others.
The names of political party stakeholders in attendance are: Hon. Iliyasu Badanga Abdulsalami, IPAC Chairman, Meduprim Ephraim,IPAC EADR, Ahmadu Abdullahi Usman of SDP, Alhassan S Adakeke of ACCORD, Hon.S.O Akerele, JP of ADP, Chief Muhammed O Jimoh of APM, Hon/Pst Chinga Emmanuel of YPP, Onoja Umar of PRP, Hon.Ibrahim Itodo of ZLP, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah of SDP, Musa Ojodomo of AAC, Ibrahim Usman of Labour party, Mohammed Kabir A of PDP, Adam Isah.O of APP, Hon.Ogga Kingsley T of ADC Bar.Ndamodu Ali of APC, Hon.Abdulazeez of APGA, Hon.Lawal A Abubakar of AAC, Alhaji Idris A Lokoja of PDP, Hajia Jummai Isah of NRM, Hon.Onaji James. Each took their turn to talk on behalf of their party and the whole discussion was centered on being cleared to them that the state is getting set and hampered on the credibility of the election as they feared that the election would not be free and fair
Shortly after the closing remark made by Hon. Commissioner, Labaran Oyigebe, the moderator of the meeting, the state Electoral umpire, Hon.Mamman Eri in his address, allayed the fears of various political parties that will be participating in the council elections, assuring them of impartiality because his integrity is at stake. Responding to questions from stakeholders on the probability of holding a credible election, the KOSIEC boss said: “The council poll will be held this year. Though, the actual date has not been decided, we will issue the actual date to the public in due course as soon as the parties meet after the first stakeholders meeting and communicate back to KOSIEC so as to synergizes the actual election date. “I want to allay the fears and erase the wrong perception of some of you about KOSIEC being partisan particularly from members of the opposition parties in the state. We would therefore, wish to place on record our avowed commitment towards ensuring that there is a level playing field for each and every participant and stakeholder in the forthcoming local government election irrespective of political divide and affiliations. “The commission shall strictly adhere to best practices in election management and will not perform below the benchmark for excellence in electoral administration. Hence, the main reason for the commission’s painstaking thoroughness in the preparation for the forthcoming council poll. ‘’This is a new commission I am heading. I want to promise you all that my reputation is at stake. I will guard my work conscientiously not to jeopardize my reputation. I will do all parties right.”
The other seven commissioners and the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs Lucy Abdullahi also attended the event.
Signed
Hon.Chogudo Yakubu Musa
Media and Publicity(SIEC)
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