Ahead of the December 18th 2020 Local Government polls in Abia State,the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), an apex coordinating body of all Political Parties in the state has asked Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to prevail on the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission(ABSIEC) to slash fees payable by aspirants to enable members participate in the forth coming elections.
ABSIEC had pegged nomination forms for Chairmanship positions at five hundred thousand Naira(N500,000) and Hundred thousand naira N100,000 for councillorship forms.
Chairman of the group and also the the state Chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Ceekay Igara, made the plea when the group paid a courtesy visit on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at Government House Umuahia.
Igara noted that the amount charged by ABSIEC for the purchase of Chairmanship forms is exorbitant and prayed the Governor to intervene.
His words: “We are complaining that the economy is bad. Too many people are eager to contest but they said they can not afford Five hundred thousand Naira.
“Five hundred thousand is quite on the high side and that is why it has been difficult for us to get the required people to contest.
“We know that you can prevail on ABSIEC to listen to our own counsel because we are the people that are going to feature candidates”.
The IPAC Chairman also called for a shift in date of the local government election time table to March 2021 to enable aspirants meet up with requirements outlined by ABSIEC.
He said they were propelled to ensure stability in the polity hence their resolve to continue to give Governor Ikpeazu the needed support as well as do what is right.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in his response,promised to look into the various issues raised by the IPAC Chairman.
On the high cost of Chairmanship nomination form for the forthcoming local government elections, Governor Ikpeazu said,”I will ask the ABSIEC chairman to make a review of that cost and see what could be done.
“This election is being organised for Ndi Abia but if the conditions are placed beyond the reach of Ndi Abia, then the intention for it would have been defeated”.
The Governor assured that his government would provide a level playing ground for all political parties in the forth coming Local Government elections in the State.
According him,government would look at ways to ensure that all political parties have a robust contest in the forthcoming polls.
He urged members of IPAC to galvanize their political parties ahead of the elections and ensure peace is maintained in the State adding that the burden of leading Abia to its El Dorado is a collective one and thanked them for the sustained support given to his administration.
