KASIEC steps up preparations of LG elections in Katsina

By Augustine Okezie, Katsina

THE Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission, KASIEC, has stepped up preparations for the forthcoming local government elections in Katsina State scheduled to hold at the end of the year.

The State Electoral Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Bako, who made the above disclosure to The Nation correspondent in his office, said his agency has stepped up preparations in the area of logistics, staff training, party orientations and other essential preparations leading to successful elections

The Nation recalled that the state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, had during an interview with newsmen at Government House, said that the state is 50% ready to conduct LG elections in the state.

Bako blamed the delay in the conduct of the LG election on the lingering court cases that eventually terminated at the Supreme Court, adding that now that the cases are over and with the clearance coming from the state government, the stage is set for the conduct of a fresh local government election in Katsina this year

He said: “There was no election because you cannot hold an election when there are pending court cases.”

“We are now very ready, only remaining a meeting with the stake holders and relevant authorities as well as confirmations from the state House of Assembly.”

“I cannot give you exact date when the election will hold, but all I can tell you is that we are prepared; we are ready to conduct the election”.

He said, “As far as we are concerned, an election must have a timetable and election date, and until that is ready, we have to wait.”