By Sunusi Madobi
The recent announcement by the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission (JSIEC) that it has fixed July 1, 2017, to conduct local government elections in the 27 local government areas in the state is quite commendable. It is a welcome development which will lead to the emergence of new leaders, who would run the affairs of the local government councils in the state.
Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Sani Mohammed, made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the headquarters of the commission in Dutse, with all key players in attendance. These include members of the media, security agents, representatives of political parties, and nongovernmental organizations.
Jigawa state has 287 political wards and, according the 2006 census figure, the state’s population stands at 4.6 million people. To this end, the electoral commission is making all the necessary arrangements to ensure the successful conduct of free, fair, and credible elections in line with constitutional provision establishing the commission.
In its effort to ensure fairness, the commission has set in motion plans to recruit local government electoral officers ahead of the council elections. Already, an advert has been placed in some national dailies calling for applications from those who are eligible to be recruited, their educational qualification, and experience in order to ensure only those who are competent and are of impeccable character are recruited for the exercise.
Among other concerted efforts by the commission towards ensuring the success of the forthcoming Jigawa local government elections include paying courtesy calls to all relevant stakeholders to solicit their support as well as sponsoring of programmes in the mass media to enlighten and mobilize the electorate. This is in addition to holding wide consultations and series of meetings to carry everyone along in the build up to the elections, the voting proper and the post-election process.
The policy of the commission to integrate all stakeholders in the electoral process has justified its commitment to ensure that the election is conducted in line with international best practices. Domestic and international observers in addition to international media are expected to monitor and cover the election in both print and electronic media. Candidates willing to contest either as councilors or chairmen have already been briefed on the procedure, which begins with the purchase of forms. The commission, under its credible chairman, secretary, commissioners and other supporting competent and credible staff, has recorded significant achievements in the conduct of free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in Jigawa state.
Local government areas in Jigawa have been under the governance of caretaker chairmen for about fifteen months now. But with the ongoing process to conduct elections at the grassroots level of governance, new democratically elected chairmen and councilors are expected to emerge by July. This would accommodate more representation with councilors from each ward which would represent his ward in all ramifications so as to have a say on policy and decision making process and to provide the dividends of democracy, which is one of the pillars of democracy.
The headquarters of the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission, which is located at Kiyawa Road, Dutse, the state capital, is already wearing a serene and conducive atmosphere; the place is always busy with a beehive of activities by different caliber of people. These are all pointers to the fact that the commission is leaving no stone unturned towards ensuring hitch-free council elections in Jigawa.
It instructive that the commission runs an open and transparent administration by providing all information in time to all relevant stakeholders and integrating them in all activities for the success of the polls, which is a clear indication by the commission to ensure equity, justice and fairness.
Thousands of ad-hoc staff are expected to be recruited during the polls who would walk as election personnel. And a series of training would be organized to train the teeming recruited ad-hoc staff in order to update them with current global trend in the conduct of local government elections. To this end, the chairman of commission has attended series of seminars, workshops, and symposia. He has also attended several local government elections conducted in other states of the federation. This collaboration between the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission and others will make the election more simplified and easy.
In a press briefing organized by the commission with all stakeholders in attendance the commission, the chairman re-affirmed the commitment of the commission to conduct free, fair and credible elections, stressing the need for more cooperation from all key players to achieve the set objectives, as arrangement is in the pipeline for the conduct of the elections.
Most of the key players, who attend the briefing, expressed satisfaction and joy with the way the commission is integrating all those concerned in the electoral process.
We, therefore, appreciate the commitment of the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission for setting all machinery in motion for the success of the local government polls scheduled to be conducted on July 1, 2017. We equally urge the good people of Jigawa State to support the commission to achieve the desired objective of conducting free, fair, credible and acceptable elections.
Madobi writes from Dutse
