Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) has organized a stakeholders’ meeting to fashion out ways to make the upcoming council election in the 27 council areas and the 305 INEC wards in the State more credible and transparent.
The body charged with the statutory responsibility of electoral management and administration assured Imolites to expect nothing less than a credible council election come March, 2022.
Speaking at ISIEC office in Owerri on Friday after the meeting with political parties in the State, the Acting Operational Commissioner for Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, Adimelechi Henry, said the electoral umpire was 100% prepared for the election.
According to ISIEC, “All these years, we have not consulted with anybody but for us to start consultation with IPAC (Inter Party Advisory Council) and others means we are ready for the election.”
On the manpower, ISIEC said the electoral umpire will recruit Ad-hoc staff to compliment its own staff strength.
Contributing, the Publicity Secretary of IPAC Imo State, John Iwuala, who is also the state Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, said his party was ready to participate in the election once there would be a level playing ground for all political parties in the State.
Iwuala said “it is unconstitutional for the Imo State Government to operate the third tier of government with caretaker or sole administrators.
“We need a democratically elected local government chairmen and councillors in the 305 INEC wards and the 27 LGA’s in the State.”
He applauded the commission ISIEC for taking the bold step to conduct local government election in the State.
Also speaking, the Imo State Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ogbuehi Valentine Amafili, called on the Imo State Government to ensure there was absolute security to enable Imo people develop the confidence to freely participate in the electoral process.
Ogbuehi warned that the reoccurring issue of “the party in power takes it all syndrome” during local government elections should not be the order of the day in the upcoming council election in Imo State.
