Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has announced the postponement of the Local Government Election originally scheduled for February 24, 2024.
The Chairman of ENSIEC, Dr Mike Ajogwu, SAN, made this known in a statement made available in Enugu.
Ajogwu said the postponement was: “Pursuant to a High Court Enugu State Judgement delivered by his lordship Hon. Justice C O Ajah Phd in the case of Action Alliance vs Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission in suit no E/682/2023.”
“The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission has been ordered to make the following adjustment to it’s original guideline and Time Table published in the official gazette of Enugu State and dated the 26th day of September 2023.
“The Enugu State Local Government Election 2024 originally scheduled for the 24th February has been shifted to the 5th October 2024,” he said
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior official of the commission said the shifting of the date of the election was in compliance with the High Court judgment which says that “we cannot hold election on that date.”
According to him: “The Court says that we supposed to give a 360 days notice of which what we gave was 120 days notice. The judge said the judgment was based on the Electoral act.
“The court said we must follow INEC guideline, that we cannot use a different guideline other than that of IINEC, even though we have been using the local government law.”
The official further said that there may likely be an appeal but “that is not for us, it’s left to the state government to decide.”
On what happens to the current chairmen whose tenures expire on March 3, he said “That is not within our jurisdiction to decide.”
