Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC), Set To Conduct LGC Elections .. Chairman
The Executive Chairman of Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC), Alhaji Audu Usman Bello onTuesday said that," Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) in now set and ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections for the 27 LGAs of the state Insha Allah."
He aded that modalities for the LG polls have already been put in place with the release of time table for the electoral processes which has kick started with the maiden press briefing on the preparedness of the commission towards the approved time table for the 20202 LG elections.
The Chairman stated this at a press briefing held at the conference hall of the commission located at Damboa Road Maiduguri, noted that this was aimed at notifying all the stakeholders especially the politicians and political parties that may be interested in participating in the elections and vying for elective positions in the LGC polls based on the time table as apprroved by the Executive Governor and the State House of Assembly, "notice of elections starts today, 10th June 2020".
The elections of the LGC Chairmen and Councillors will be conducted on 13th June 2020 if all things goes well Insha Allah. Hence, the time table already outlined all activities from the collection of forms, submission and holding of primaries and verification of candidates by all political parties.
He however reaffirmed the position of the commission to conduct hitch free , credible, transparent and fair elections for the good people of Borno state where the commission had created 5,071 Voting Points ,312 Wards and 27 LGAs.
According to him, armed with the challenging responsibilities , BOSIEC has set in motion preparations for free, fair and credible elections in all the LGAs of the state including public and voters education as well as sensitization on all programmes as outlined in the time table.
He further noted that since 12 years ago, the commission has conducted elections in 2004 and 2008 which was adjudged free, fair and credible by both domestic and international observers despite several proposals that were made to the state government for LG polls to be conducted at the LGCs but they were not considered due to the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency that enveloped the state since 2009.
Usman however expressed hope that despite the security challenges , efforts will be made to improve in th security situation for a hitch free and successful electioms, pointing out that, "in situations where the security situation in any LGA is not possible, elections Will be held at the LGCs headquarters of IDPs Camps of the affected LGAs as obtained in the past.
He also assured that elections will be conducted in all the 27 LGCs as training and retraining of election officials both BOSIEC and ad hoc staff have been put in place while "the elections will be conducted based on the 2019 Voters Register of INEC."
"The rules and regulations of the electoral processes, laws guiding the elections including no use of Card Reader Machines for elections are still in place.
'"The election will be based on individual physical idenification of names and pictures on the Voters Register produced by INEC.
"So far, We hav two Ad-hoc staff per each LGC, one Election Officer, making twenty seven EOs, , 312 Returnng Officers, 444 Supervisors, 5,071 Presiding Officers for the Polling Points and 3, 933 Polling Units," Usman said.