By David Odama, Lafia

Ahead of the August 31st, 2024, local government election, the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has released guidelines for the conduct of the election.

The chairman of the commission, Ayuba Wandai Usman, disclosed this at the end of the review meeting with members of the inter-party advisory council led by its chairman, Hon. Cletus Ogah, on Tuesday.

Ayuba said, “NASIEC has released guidelines that will regulate the conduct of the 2024 local government election, adding that this is the instrument that would guide and drive the involvement of political parties and the conduct of the election.

“This is the instrument that would guide all political parties in the conduct of their affairs leading to the elections on August 31, 2024,” the chairman declared.

While announcing that the date for the conduct of the LG elections remains unchanged, the NASIEC Chairman explained that the commission found it necessary to adjust the timeline for the election.

“The commission saw it as expedient to re-jig the election timeline to conduct a free, fair, and credible election. NASIEC not only adjusted the timeline but also introduced new schedules to ease the conduct of the poll.”

According to him, NASIEC reviewed the time for the conduct of primary elections by political parties participating in the exercise earlier slated to be held between January 3rd and February 10th, 2024.

He added that the conduct of party primary elections and resolutions arising from the primaries will now be held between Wednesday, January 3rd, and Saturday, February 24th, for both chairmanship and counsellorship elections, with Tuesday, February 27th, as the last day for political parties to submit their list of candidates.

According to Ayuba, the collection and submission of nomination forms is fixed for Wednesday, February 28th, to Monday, March 11th, while the publication of final lists of nominated candidates will be on Wednesday, April 3rd, adding that the campaign will commence on Wednesday, April 3rd, to Friday, August 30th.

He emphasised that the local government elections would be held on August 31st as earlier scheduled and commended the cordial relationship between members of IPAC and the NAISEC.

Responding, chairman of IPAC in Nasarawa, Hon. Cletus Ogah, commended NASIEC for its readiness to conduct the local government election as well as welcomed the adjustment of the election timeline, which he said is in favour of political parties.

Vanguard News