LG polls: Enugu electoral body declares 90% readiness ahead of September 26

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission says it is over 90 per cent ready for the September 26 local government election in the state.

The Executive Chairman of ENSIEC, Prof. Christian Ngwu, disclosed this at a news briefing in Enugu on Monday.

Ngwu said the commission was putting finishing touches to its arrangements and training ahead of the polls.

“It is only few things remaining and we are finalising and putting finishing touches on them,” he said.

He also said the commission had trained the trainers of the ad hoc staff and advertised for the recruitment of the ad hoc staff, while their training would commence in a few days.

He said that “almost all the materials for the elections are ready”.

Ngwu said the “non sensitive materials will be leaving ENSIEC headquarters in Enugu latest Thursday, Sept. 17, to council headquarters”.

According to him, the sensitive materials would be received and kept in a safe place for now.

“We will soon conclude arrangements with transport unions and companies to ensure adequate logistics facilities.

“The commission is already having a fruitful conclusion of security arrangement with security agencies in the state with the Police as lead agency,” Ngwu said.

He said the Independent National Electoral Commission would soon avail ENSIEC with the authentic voters’ register of the state to work with.

“I am calling on residents of Enugu State to troop out en masse to cast their votes for their preferred candidates without fear or favour.

“ENSIEC will continue to provide a level playing field for all the candidates in the elections.

“The commission will provide a conducive and secure environment as well as ensure peaceful, hitch-free, transparent, and credible elections on September 26,” Ngwu said.

He also said the commission had pasted the notice of election in strategic locations across the local government areas.

He said the notice contained information on how to vote correctly and the positive behavioural conduct expected during and after casting one’s vote.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 11 political parties would field candidates in the polls.

ENSIEC had, two weeks earlier, concluded its train-the-trainer workshop for its officials, including 17 electoral officers for each of the 17 council areas, 17 assistant electoral officers, seven directors, five commissioners and an administrative secretary.

The commission scheduled elections for 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship positions in the state for September 26.