Insecurity: KADSIECOM Postpones Elections in Four Council Areas

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM) has postponed conduct of today’s council polls in four of the 23 local governments in the state following security concerns.

In a statement yesterday, the Chairperson of the KADSIECOM, Dr. Saratu Dikko-Audu, said elections would not hold in Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru and Zangon Kataf LGAs due to security challenges.

She added that elections in the four council areas had been rescheduled to September 25, 2021.
She assured that the commission was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and non-violent council polls.

The KADSIECOM boss also appealed to politicians and citizens of the state to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the polls.

“We are all aware of the recent escalation of the security situation in Kaduna State.
“I have been reliably informed by security architecture within the state, that security reports in the state would make it impossible to peacefully conduct the local government councils elections in a number of local government areas.

“Consequently, in order to protect lives and property, including those of our election staff and materials, we have had to suspend the election in a number of local government areas and reschedule the election in these local government areas for a later date,” she said.

Dikko-Audu, explained that “After due consultation with members of the commission, the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission has decided to rescheduled the 2021 local government councils election in the following local government areas: Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Kajuru and Zangon Kataf.
“The election in these local government areas will now hold on Saturday 25th

September, 2021.

“It is our belief that the security operatives would be able to fully deploy to these local government areas for election on the stated date in order to prevent any breakdown of law and order as well as loss of lives and property.”

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command has announced restriction of movement across the state during the election.

Spokesman of the command, Mohammed Jalige, in a statement yesterday, said the Police Commissioner, Mr. Abdullahi Mudassiru, had ordered strict enforcement of restriction of human and vehicular movements into and within Kaduna State

during the polls.

“The general public is hereby informed that the restriction of movement will take effect from midnight (0000hrs to 1800hrs) and it covers all the entry points into the state and within the entire 23 local government areas where the elections will be held.

“It is equally advised that no large gatherings or campaign of whatever guise will be tolerated within the stipulated restriction hours and violators of the said order will be dealt with according to extant laws of the state,” Jalige said.

The statement called on all law-abiding citizens to comply with the restriction order, stressing that only eligible voters are allowed to go out and exercise their franchise without fear of intimidation from any quarter.

The statement said, “Effective security deployment has been made to secure all the polling units and collation centres across the state and a Rapid Response Team situated in all the local government areas to promptly respond to distress calls.

“It is notwithstanding advised that while the election is ongoing the public should be security conscious of their environment and to report suspicious activities or persons to the nearest security formation or via the Kaduna Police Command designated emergency mobile phone numbers 08075391105 and 07039675856 for prompt intervention.”

Also in a statement in Kaduna yesterday, the Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, urged residents of the state to come out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice during the election.

Hayab, urged citizens to shun violence and use the election to prove critics wrong that Kaduna people are peace lovers who want to be treated with respect and be allowed to choose leaders of their choice without manipulations.

“Citizens of our dear state must use this election to prove critics wrong that Kaduna people are peace lovers and only want to be treated with respect and allowed to choose leaders of their choice without manipulations,” he said.

He called on the state government to ensure that, “this election is free and fair, respect the will of the people, and allow the election umpire to carry out their duty without interference.”