The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission has announced a new date for the local government chairmanship and councilor elections.
The elections, previously scheduled for October 5, 2024, will now take place on September 21, 2024.
This change follows a state High Court judgment, which ordered the commission to conduct the elections on or before September 21, 2024.
ENSIEC Chairman, Prof. Christian Ngwu, confirmed the new date and amended timetable in a press briefing in Enugu. T
he commission is acting in compliance with the court’s ruling, which was delivered by Justice C.V.C. Ezeugwu on August 27, 2024.
The electoral process will commence with political parties submitting information on their party primaries between June 3 and June 14, 2024.
This will be followed by the conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes arising from the primaries between August 1 and August 19, 2024.
Political parties will then obtain nomination forms and submit candidate names between August 23 and August 27, 2024. The campaign period will run from September 7 to September 20, 2024, with voters’ accreditation and voting taking place on September 21, 2024. In the event of a runoff, elections will be held on September 28, 2024.
The elections will fill 17 council chairmanship positions and 260 councilor seats in Enugu State.
“June 3 to June 14, 2024 – Call for political parties to submit information on conduct of party primaries specifying the time, venue and say (mode) of party primaries.
“Aug. 1 to Aug.19, 2024 – Conduct of party primaries including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries.
“Aug. 23 to Aug. 27, 2024 – Political parties are to obtain nomination forms, ENSIEC 7 and Councillorship election respectively on Aug. 23 to Aug. 27.
“Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, 2024 – List of candidates nominated by political parties shall be forwarded to the headquarters of ENSIEC at 3 Achi Street, Independence Layout, Enugu.
“Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, 2024 — Checking of candidates credentials; councilorship candidates shall be checked at various Local Government Headquarters while Chairmanship candidates shall be checked at ENSIEC headquarters at 3 Achi Street, Independence Layout, Enugu.
“Sept. 11 to Sept. 12, 2024 – (a) Replacement of unqualified candidates by the affected political parties. (b) Names of two party agents with passport photographs attached to each polling unit shall be forwarded to ENSIEC headquarters by political parties. Parties shall endorse the passport photographs.
“Sept. 7 to Sept 20, 2024 – Campaign kickoff – Candidates and their parties shall campaign for the election in such a manner and in accordance with such guidelines as may be determined, from time to time, by the Commission. Campaign shall end by 6pm of Sept.19.
“Sept. 21, 2024 – Voters’ accreditation and voting by Open Secret Ballot System between the hours 8am and 3pm. Sept. 28, 2024 – Chairmanship and/or Councillorship run-off election if need be,” he added.
