The Chairman of Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Charles Ejiogu on Wednesday said the local government election will take place across 305 wards and 4,758 polling units of the State.

He stated this during the Stakeholders meeting held in Owerri, Imo State.

He said “We have gathered the stakeholders to show our determination to deepen democratic governance at the grassroots level in Imo State. It has to be on record that

following Nigeria’s return to constitutional governance in 1999, the forthcoming Local Government Council elections into the offices of Council Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councilors, will be the fifth having had elections in 1999, 2004, 2010, and 2018 respectively at the third tier”.

“Pursuant to its establishment Law No 14 of 2000 as amended, the

Imo State Independent Electoral Commission is charged

with the task of conducting and supervising a free, transparent, and

credible local government council elections in Imo State”.

“To this end, the commission has scheduled to conduct the much expected Council

elections into the 305 Registration Areas/Wards and in all the 4,758

polling units in the 27 Local Government Area Councils of Imo

State, come Saturday 21 September, 2024″.

He called on Imo electorate to take advantage of the election to perform their constitutional

duty.

“We have released the Election Guidelines and Time Table as part of the activities that will ultimately usher in the emergence of 27 democratically Council Chairmen, their Deputies, and 305 Councilors, in line with our announcement of 24th May, 2024”.

“Arrangements for the recruitment of Ad-hoc personnel are in top gear and this will include field and internal Ad-hoc personnel”.

“The Commission is not oblivious of the imperatives of putting in place water-tight security architecture and will stop at nothing in doing just that. Adequate logistics and ground power will be mounted as it is key to the successful conduct of the forthcoming

Council polls”.

“We are liaising with other democratic institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission and we are satisfied with their level of support so far, even as we look forward to more of such support. The security agencies have also assured

us of their readiness to render necessary assistance. The voluntary agencies are not left out in this regard and we cannot take anyone

of them for granted”.

“As an established strategic partner in progress, the fourth estate or the realm (Media) deserves our special recognition as they have continued to lend measurable empathy and support through their balanced reportage so far”.

“The registered political parties are enjoined to play according to the rules, even as the Commission appealed to them to

constructively engage their aspirants candidates by observing to the

utmost, the doctrine/principle of internal democracy”.

“The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission will not shirk its mandated duty

of observing the primaries as duly stipulated in Electoral Act as

amended”.

Traditional Rulers,

Presidents General, Opinion Leaders, Women and Youth Groups, Market Associations, Trade Groups, Civil Society Organizations, Media, Clergy, and Faith Based Organizations, Political Leaders, among others were present at the meeting.