Delta Politicians Divided Over Council Polls

As the tenure of council chairmen and councillors in Delta State ends this week Friday, politicians in the state are divided over what happens next.
Local government elections were held on March 6, 2021 to elect 25 council chairmen and 500 local government councillors in all the 25 councils.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) swept the chairmanship and councillorship polls. The main opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced a boycott of the elections on election day due to alleged irregularities.

While some politicians are in hot frenzy to become members of council caretaker committees, others are rooting for immediate election into the councils.
Our investigation revealed that the government was contemplating using civil servants as caretaker committee members pending when a date will be fixed for the election .
Despite that those who are not sure of winning the primaries are lobbying to be in the caretaker committees, they however opposed the plans by the state government to use civil servants as caretaker members for the councils.

This move, is said to be stoutly resisted by politicians who believe that caretaker appointments is undemocratic, informing pulling the necessary political strings by sending CVs to the governor kitchen cabinet and the state party leaders and executives.

Others who have the clout and backing to win election to the local governments as chairman and councilors are already forming structures and campaigning in preparation for the election anytime it comes.

But another school of thought revealed that the election can not hold in less than four months time since the State Independent Electoral Commission has not been mobilised.

“The commission would have to train its staff and adhoc staff that would conduct the election. On the part of political parties, they will conduct primaries for the chairmanship candidates at the councils level and councillors at the wards level” he said.

It could be recalled that last week, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Asaba said the date for council election shall soon be announced.

‘’The local government council chairmen will exit this coming week and I want to assure you that very soon, we will do election into local government councils. A date will be announced for the election, it will not be too long.’ Oborevwori confirmed.