By Idris Shehu
Twenty-Two (22) registered political parties have in Bauchi tasked the State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) to ensure their inclusion in the October 17th Local Government Elections in the state.
The parties in a press conference in Bauchi Sunday expressed disgust with the nonchalant attitude of Bauchi SIEC of non including them in the forthcoming Local Government Elections in the state.
They told SIEC, “Include our names and logos in the ballot papers as bonafide parties that will participate in this local elections coming up on October 17th, 2020 and bye elections of honourable member representing Dass State Constituency in the State House of Assembly.”
The 22 political parties were among the 74 political parties INEC earlier this year deregistered them, an action which made the parties seeked solace with competent court of jurisdiction where they won over INEC at an appellate court in Abuja.
Bauchi state chairman of the YDP, Ahmed Tijjani Aminu who led the parties protest press conference in Bauchi Sunday, said their appeals ans struggles for the SIEC to include them in the forthcoming LG polls have proved abortive.
Aminu noted that de-registration and relisting of political parties is no longer strenge news in the political atmosphere of Nigeria, but what is always made to be herculean tak is the process of reabsorbing and continuity.
“We will be right to say that this government of Bauchi state is a beneficiary of the judgment of court not long ago. We therefore as Nigerians and legitimate institutions expected to respect insimilar circumstance, and anything judgment/ruling that comes from the honourable court.
He therefore suggested that SIEC in Bauchi and INEC to obey in absolute terms the said judgment or ruling of the Court of Appeal to avoid being contempt of court order,
Bauchi state SIEC Chairman, Alhaji Dahiru Tata in a swift reaction, assured that the 22 aggrieved political parties have submitted to the commission all their relevant documents for participation in the council polls.
He said however that the commission is being guided by the nation’s electoral emphire, stressing that any moment INEC a week before election give them the order to include the 22 aggrived parties will do so.
The BASIEC Chairman added that, “As of today, the list of political parties we have from INEC does not include their names and logos, it is not the fault of the BASIEC, let them go to INEC and sort themselves out, as soon as they did that, we are ready to comply.”
On the preparations for the conduct of the election so far, Dahiru Tata said that, “All the Councillorship candidates have been screened at their respective LGAs, now we are screening the Chairmanship candidates, as of today (Sunday), we have done 80%, by the grace of God we will complete by Monday and notify all the political parties that are fielding candidates of the status of their candidates”.
Alhaji Dahiru Tata who assured of providing level playing ground for all political parties in the Local Government Elections scheduled for October 17th this year, called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to make the exercise a huge success.
