By Austin Ogwuda

Asaba—DELTA State Government has said it had commenced the process of conducting the much-awaited local government elections in the state, just as it dismissed apprehension of opposition political parties over not providing a level playing field.

Senior Political Adviser to Delta State Governor, Chief Ighoyota Amori, who dropped the hint while fielding questions from newsmen in Asaba, assured that there was no way the current local government caretaker committees would stay beyond April in office, given the fact that they were inaugurated in November last year and cannot exceed a maximum life span of six months.

He said: “We are closer. It is now certain that council polls will be held in the state sooner than some believe. The process had started with the inauguration of transition or caretaker committees for the councils by the state governor.”

On the controversy surrounding the legitimacy of the committees, he said: “The committees are legal. By law, the committees have a life span of maximum of six months, made up of the first three months in the first instance, and renewable one for another three month period.”

He said the assurance had become necessary because of the “resolve of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration to provide a level playground for all interest groups in the polls.”