Abia unveils election timetable amidst party concerns

The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission unveiled its electoral calendar for the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections on Saturday.

This announcement comes as the chairpersons of various parties express concerns about meeting the timetable deadlines, scheduled for November 2, 2024, to usher in elected council chairpersons and 184 councillors across the 17 local government areas of Abia State.

During a meeting involving the 19 political parties in the state, along with security personnel, State House of Assembly members, and other observers, the Chairman of ABSIEC, Prof. George N. Chima, outlined the timetable as follows: Notice of Election (Saturday, September 21, 2024), Political Party Primaries (Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – Friday, October 4, 2024), Submission of List of Candidates by Political Parties (Saturday, October 5, 2024 – Monday, October 7, 2024), Screening of Candidates by ABSIEC (Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Thursday, October 10, 2024).
Hearing of Appeals/Complaints by the Appeals Screening Committee (Friday, October 11, 2024 – Saturday, October 12, 2024), Substitution and Screening of Substituted Candidates (Monday, October 14, 2024 – Tuesday, October 15, 2024), Final Publication of List of Candidates (Wednesday, October 16, 2024), Electioneering Campaigns (Friday, October 18, 2024 – Thursday, October 31, 2024), Notice of Polls (Friday, October 18, 2024), and Local Government Election Date (Saturday, November 2, 2024).

Addressing the parties, the ABSIEC Chairman stated, “We all understand the importance of a democratic system of governance in local government, as it is where the greater number of the governed reside. Proper attention should be paid to ensuring a credible system of electing its operators.”

“The essence of this meeting is to assure you of the commission’s true desire and determination to ensure that the right things are done rightly. In the past, there has been apprehension regarding the impartiality of the umpires in this onerous responsibility, but our commitment to ushering in true democratic principles remains pivotal.”

“The present commission comprises men and women of integrity and outstanding pedigree, committed to changing the narrative. Our assurance to you is that the elections for our various local government councils in 2024 will no longer be business as usual. The commission is highly determined to ensure the elections are free, fair, and credible.”

He called on all stakeholders to ensure that contestants and political parties adhere to the rules, as this will complement the commission’s efforts to achieve the common goal of effective and credible governance.

However, political parties present at the meeting raised concerns about the credibility of council members, the lack of information regarding the cost of forms, and the inability to involve parties, including the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in planning the timetable, as well as the lateness of the timetable’s announcement.

When questioned afterward, Chima did not provide a budgetary estimate for the election, stating that all “conventional and unconventional security apparatuses” would be employed to conduct the elections, and further guidelines regarding the cost of election forms would be forthcoming.