The Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission, (YOSIEC), has announced the postponement of the local government council elections that was earlier scheduled to hold December 5th.
The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Mamman Mohammed, while announcing the development on Thursday in Damaturu cited the discovery of new confirmed COVID-19 cases, recently recorded in the state, which gave rise for the shift in the election date that is to hold 27th of February, 2021.
Dr. Mohammed in his statement said, ‘A new date scheduled for the elections activities is being reviewed and will be released very soon. It will provide enough time for the primaries and other election requirements for qualification of candidates.’
He said that the Yobe state government is capable of handling the situation and that the State Ministry of Health has taken positive measures to identify and isolate those who have been in contact with confirmed cases.
‘We are confident that the resurgence of the virus will be contained as it was contained earlier by the committed administration of His Excellency, Ho. Mai Mala Buni, the Executive Governor of Yobe state.’
He said, ‘to be proactive to save one life is worth it, because you don’t know whose life is going. So any step you take to prevent death; medically is alright, socially is alright and even politically is alright.
He revealed that the Commission has been given policy documents from both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) detailing instructions on conducting an election amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While expressing good cheer on the new date scheduled for the elections, the chairman appealed with all stakeholders to support the Commission in achieving a free, fair, fair and transparent elections.
Adenike Omosanya
