Ahead of the August 31st, 2024 local government election, the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has released guidelines for the conduct of the election.
Chairman of the NASIEC, Barrister Ayuba Wandai Usman, disclosed this when he met with members of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on Tuesday.
This is just as the electoral body announced the review of the local government election timeline.
Barrister Wandai said, drawing from the powers of the commission, NASIEC has released guidelines that will regulate the conduct of the 2024 local government election.
“This is the instrument that would guide all political parties in the conduct of their affairs leading to the elections on the 31st August 2024,” he stated.
On the review of the timeline for the election, the NASIEC Chsirman pointed out that while the date for the elections remains unchanged, the commission found it necessary to adjust the timeline for the election.
He added that the commission saw it expedient to re-jig the election timeline in order to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.
Barrister Wandai explained that the NASIEC not only adjusted the timeline but also introduced new schedules.
According to him, the NASIEC reviewed the time for the conduct of primary elections by political parties participating in the exercise earlier slated to hold between January 3rd to February 10th, 2024.
He disclosed that conduct of party primary elections and resolution arising from the primaries will now be held between Wednesday, January 3rd to Saturday, February 24th, for both chairmanship and counsellorship elections.
He said NASIEC has fixed Tuesday, February 27th, as the last day for political parties to submit their list of candidates.
Also, for the collection and submission of nomination forms, the commission is fixed on Wednesday, February 28th, to Monday, March 11th.
“Publication of final lists of nominated candidates will be on Wednesday, April 3rd, while political campaign will commence on Wednesday, April 3rd, to Friday, August 30th,” Wandai declared.
He emphasized that the local government elections would hold on August 31st as earlier scheduled.
The NASIEC Chairman commended the cordial relationship the commission enjoys with members of the IPAC in the state.
Responding, Nasarawa State Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council, Mr Cletus Ogah, while commending the NASIEC on its preparation to conduct the 2024 local government election, welcomed the adjustment of the election timeline which he said is in favour of political parties.