Imo postpones local government elections as parties pursue court challenges

The Imo State Government says local government elections scheduled for Saturday, September 26, were stalled because of ongoing court proceedings challenging the conduct of the polls. Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy Declan Emelumba gave the explanation in a press statement issued on Friday about the postponement. Emelumba said the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the National Democratic Congress had approached the court seeking orders to stop the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting the elections.

According to the commissioner, the parties instituted substantive suits on several grounds. He said the cases had been adjourned until October 30 for hearing. The state government said it could not proceed while the legal challenges were pending.

Emelumba argued that a government committed to obeying the law should not conduct an election that two political parties were challenging before the courts. He said the administration was waiting for the court processes to be resolved before fixing another election date. The statement did not give a replacement date.

The development leaves the timing of the local government polls dependent on the outcome of the cases. The government’s explanation places the postponement within the context of the legal challenges brought by APGA and NDC against the proposed conduct of the election.