The Chairman of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, Chief Mike Ogbodu, says bye-election into the vacant positions in some electoral wards in the state will hold before the end of the second quarter of the year.
Chief Ogbodu, a retired Commissioner of Police, who disclosed this in a statement in Asaba, regretted that the exercise which was earlier scheduled for 4th April, 2020 was put off as a result of the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
The DSIEC Boss stated that a revised time-table would be issued as the Commission had commenced activities for the bye-election before the lockdown.
He said the new timetable will be announced after due consultation with relevant stakeholders on effective date to hold the proposed bye-election.
Chief Ogbodu commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and other patriotic Deltans for their efforts to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic since the outbreak in the state.
He disclosed that owing to the outbreak of the virus, the processes for conduct of the bye-election to fill the vacant councillorship positions in four electoral Wards spread across four Local Government Areas in the state were put on hold by the Commission.
While appreciating stakeholders for their patience and understanding, Chief Ogbodu stated that the easing of the lockdown by the state government had encouraged the commission to start planning for a new time table for the bye-election.
The DSIEC Chairman stated that consultations for suitable date would continue and appealed for sustained support and understanding of stakeholders.
He said all precautionary measures put in place by NCDC and the Delta State Government to checkmate the spread of COVID-19 pandemic will be strictly observed in the course of conducting the bye-election.