Kogi Government sets Local Government Elections for October 19
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission has announced October 19 as the date for the local government elections across the state. This decision follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that deemed caretaker committees managing local governments nationwide illegal.
Meanwhile, the federal government has declared that it will withhold allocations to the local government areas that lack elected officials, as the joint allocation account committee is no longer recognized under the law.
At the first stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja on Tuesday, Chairman Mamman Eri emphasized that the scheduling adheres to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the authority vested in the state Independent Electoral Commission
“We assure you that these activities have been designed with utmost consideration for inclusivity, transparency and adherence to electoral laws. In the timetable made available, each candidate for the counselorship election is expected to deposit N100,000 to the commission while 250,000 is to be deposited by the Chairmanship candidate.
“Similarly, anyone who has been dismissed from the public or civil service of the Federation or a state or local government area or private employment is not qualified to contest for any of the positions.
He also mentioned that a comprehensive timetable of activities has been prepared to ensure a transparent, fair, and credible electoral process and expressed his appreciation for the ongoing support and collaboration aimed at ensuring the successful organization and completion of the local government elections in the state.
