Imo LGA Elections: ISIEC Extends Date For Party Primaries

..Insists, "No Going Back On Sept 21 Council Polls

Few weeks to the Imo State Local Government Area elections, the umpire body in charge of the exercise has reassured their stance on the election date infonews.com.ng reports.

The chairman of Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), Chief Charles Ejiogu has explained that despite the hiccups faced by the commission in recent times, the September 21st dateline for Council elections in the state remains sacrosanct. 

 The ISIEC Boss made the assertion while interacting with chairmen of political parties on Thursday 8th August 2024 to deliberate on the need for extension of primaries for some parties. 

  Flanked by his commissioners and other management team, Chief Ejiogu said that the commission deemed it necessary to asked for extension of time for party primaries because of security issues across the country. 

 "Extending the time for party primaries has to do with security issues in the state. Shifting the primaries will not affect the earlier schedule of September 21st election" he assured.

He therefore thanked all those parties that have organized primaries to meet the initial dateline encouraging other parties to do so as soon as possible. 

On crises bedeviling the leadership of some political parties, chief Ejiogu reiterated that ISIEC as a body will not get into the internal affairs of any political party but however pointed out that the body will only respect to court orders.

 "Those that have internal squabbles, should sort themselves out" he said. 

  Some chairmen of political parties who however spoke during stakeholders meeting vehemently refused any extension saying it is not fair for those that met the initial ISIEC dateline. According to them, coming after the August 3rd date initially set by ISIEC, it will be unfair to shift the time without consulting the stakeholders. "It appears the commission wants to favour some parties" they lamented