LG autonomy: Kaduna fixes October 19 for council election

The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed 19, 2024, to conduct elections in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.

KADSIECOM chairperson, Hajara Mohammed, announced the date and a timetable on Tuesday during a meeting with political parties and other concerned individuals in the state.

She noted that the current council members were sworn into office on 1 November 2021 and would end their three-year tenure on 31 October.

She said KAD-SIECOM is responsible for organising the elections of chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and councillors in the state.

“In consonance with the provision of section 25(1) of the KAD-SIECOM Law 2024, the general public is hereby informed that the LGA council election will be held in Kaduna on Saturday, 19th October 2024, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

“The commission issues the election timetable today, Tuesday 16th July 2024,” she said.

The chairperson further said the 2024 election guidelines have been released with the election timetable.

She assured concerned parties that the commission was ready to conduct the election on the set date.

Recall that the Supreme Court had recently affirmed the autonomy of local councils in the federation, telling the Federal Government not to pay LG allocations to governors, as well as withhold the allocation of councils where there are no democratically elected local government.

Among others, the apex court said,

1. It is illegal for Governors to dissolve democratically elected Local Governments.
2. It orders the Federal Government to henceforth withhold allocations to Local Governments governed by unelected officials appointed by the Governor.
3. The apex court barred the Federal Government from further paying LG allocations through the State Governments since the process has been abused by the governors.
4. The court stated that it is the local government that should receive and manage funds meant for local government.
5. The apex court ruled that the state government has no power or control to keep the local government council money or funds.