Parrot Africa Herald

The State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has finally set May 17, 2014 as the date for local government elections, saying the sum of N1.5 billion allocated to organize the election was too small.

The announcement of the electoral schedule was immediately met with controversy. The Grassroots Anti-Corruption Awareness and Network Initiatives (GAANI) faulted the proposed date for the election.

Addressing pressmen today in Kano, the state capital, KANSIEC chairman Sani Lawal Malumfashi blamed the security challenges facing the state for the delay in conducting the election. He also said the recent registration of All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party was a factor in the delay. He defended the choice of the election date, adding that the goal was to give the contesting parties enough time to structure and consolidate themselves. He added that the election would help actualize grassroots democracy.

Mr. Malumfashi noted that the proposed date would also give KANSIEC enough time to procure ballot materials, meet with the major stakeholders, and embark on an extensive voter education campaign. He disclosed that the campaign period for the election is to run from Sunday February 16 to midnight May 16, 2014. The commission stated that May 24, 2014 would be the date for any runoff elections.

Mr. Malumfashi told reporters that his commission would request for more funds, describing its current approved budget of N1.5 billion as grossly inadequate. He stated that the current budget was not enough to take care of all logistical preparations for the election. He pledged that the commission was determined to organize and conduct a free, fair and credible election, soliciting the cooperation of all stakeholders, including political parties, youth organizations, security agents, and the media.

He said the commission would sanction any political party that pasted posters on government buildings, mosques, churches, or schools.
In a response to the commission’s plans, the chairman of GAANI, Muhyi Magaji Rimingado, said there was no sincerity in the KANSIEC. He condemned the commission’s inability to organize local government elections two years after the inauguration of the present administration. He accused the state of violating the constitution by handpicking and imposing interim management officers to run local governments for over two years.

Mr. Rimingado noted that Kano State Governor Kwankwaso had for over two years used the deception of insecurity to justify the perpetuation of the illegal running of local governments by handpicked cronies. He said the action worked to the detriment of millions of state residents.