…election may hold first quarter of 2021
The Chairman, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DESIEC, Chief Mike Ogbodu has said that local government election in the state will hold early next year.
Ogbodu disclosed this while defending the 2021 budget proposal before the State House of Assembly Committee on Establishment, Ethics and Privileges, chaired by the Minority Leader, Hon. Innocent Anidi.
The commission proposed N1.1bn for conduct of the local government election.
The DESIEC boss said N900m is proposed for the conduct of the elections, while N247m is for related activities, including legal matters, post-election seminars, training, and others.
Briefing the House Committee members on the activities of the commission in the 2020 fiscal year as well as its projections for 2021, Chief Ogbodu said the commission is already putting measures in place towards achieving seamless local government election in the State.
He stated that DESIEC is already considering the first quarter of 2021 for the local government election, hence the projection in the 2021 appropriation law.
Chief Ogbodu noted that the 32.5% cap limit offered to the commission as capital expenditure for 2021 was inadequate, and stressed the need for upward review of the amount.
The chairman of the committee, Hon Innocent Anidi, commended DSIEC for its roles so far, and urged the commission to sustain the tempo of preparation for the local government election.