PDP candidates among those vying for Kano LG poll- Commission
The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is among political parties that have fielded candidates for Jan. 16 local government councils election in the state.
Prof. Ibrahim Sheka, Chairman, KANSIEC gave the clarifications at a sensitisation programme organised for Civil Society Election Observers in Kano.
Sheka said the PDP was among the 12 political parties vying for the 44 chairmanship and 484 councillorship positions in the election.
“PDP is among the parties contesting the Jan.16 local councils election in the state.
“A faction of the party presented candidates for the election and we have not recieved notice from anybody in the party indicating their intention to boycott the election,” he said.
Sheka said the commission had so far distributed non sensitive election materials to its offices and trained election workers in the 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
According to him, the commission is working in collaboration with the police and other security agencies to ensure a hitch free election.
“Ensuring free, fair and credible election is the responsibility of all stakeholders, and security is paramount to achieving credible election.
“We, therefore, solicit the support of all to achieve credible election in the state,” he said.
Sheka tasked election observers to ensure effective monitoring of the election and make recommendations to the commission to enable it fine tune subsequent elections.
Also speaking, Mr Ibrahim Waiya, Chairman, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) forum in the state, said the programme was designed to exposed the participants to the best practices in election observation.
Waiya said the programme was organised in collaboration between the KANSIEC, CSOs and Kano Civil Society Situation Room (KCSSR).
“Observers are not to find fault, our duty is to observe. We should be non partisan and neutral,” Waiya said.
While commending the initiative, Waiya reiterated commitment to support the commission towards conducting free, fair and credible election.
A faction of the PDP under former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso had distanced itself from the election, while another faction led by former Foreign Affairs Minister Alhaji Aminu Wali, presented candidates for the election.
