Reports revealed that the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission(DSIEC) has slated July 20, 2024 for the conduct of Local Government Elections across the 25 Local Government Area of the State.
ZN investigation revealed that the Commission will officially announced the date on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at a meeting of stakeholders holding in Asaba.
Those invited to the meeting include: chairmen and secretaries of registered political parties in the State, heads of security agencies, other stakeholders and journalists.
Information available to ZN revealed that All Progressive Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) that are the strong opposition parties in the state may not participate in the elections.
ZN sources revealed that the reason why APC and LP may not participate in the elections is that there are strong notions that plans have been conclunded by the Commission to rig the election in favour of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).
According to a party chieftain in the state who does not want his name to appear in the print, said APC and LP have lost confidence in DSIEC long ago as electoral umpire in the state in conducting free,fair and credible elections, stressing that the Commission is working for the ruling party( PDP)to come victorious.in this year’s LG elections.
He said “past Local Government Elections conducted by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), all the processes were sham and fraudulent”.
Also, there are fears that the Internal troubles looming in the Commission may be a major factor that will affect the administration of the Commission if not checked
The scrabble has been there for long between the Chairman, Dr Jerry Agbaike and members of the Commission.
Agbaike has been accused of running the affairs of the Commission as a one man show without involving the other members.
It was also learnt that the Chairman on his part informed the members that as the Executive Chairman of the Commission, it is not under the purview of the members to direct him on how he will pilot the affairs of the Commission.
It was gathered that the most annoying part is that the Chairman of the Commission, Dr Agbaike has not officially informed members of the Commission on the released of funds by the Delta State Government for the conduct of the elections.
