Kaduna State local government elections initially scheduled for August 14, 2021, will now hold on September 4, 2021. The chairman of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM) Dr. Saratu Dikko, publicized this on Monday during a meeting with political parties and other stakeholders in Kaduna. She said, “May I announce that the election is now scheduled for the 4th September 2021.
“At the last meeting we had with you on 2nd June 2021, we notified you that we had to postpone the election that had been slated for 5th June 2021 to the 14th August 2021 because our machine’s batteries were still being expected.
“I am glad to inform you that those long-awaited batteries finally arrived at SIECOM. I am sure you will understand that we can’t conduct the election within the 12 days left to the 14th August 2021.
“We do not only have to install batteries in 6,000 units of EVMS, but we also need to install the software, upgrade the machines, test them, train our staff and ad-hoc staff (about 16,500) on the operation of the new system, then conduct public and voter education on the method of voting, before we can use them for election.
“We are aware that political parties, their candidates and indeed the general public in Kaduna State are anxious to exercise their civic duty in electing those they want to represent them in the Local government councils, we have committed ourselves to work tirelessly to assure that the date we announce today, will indeed be sustained”.
Reacting to the postponement, the state secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Aliyu Wusono, said the party is not comfortable with the postponement. “At our last meeting, they requested that we should suggest a date for the election, but we rejected it. Now that they have rescheduled the election, we hope this will be the last time. We pray it will hold on the 4th of September, 2021 as they said,” he said.
Ada Peter
