Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has announced that local government elections in the state will be held soon, following recent amendments to the state’s electoral law.
The governor disclosed this on Monday during a meeting of the state’s Executive Council, emphasising the importance of conducting democratic elections at the local level in line with the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.
At the Council meeting, Lawal also inaugurated Bala Aliyu Gusau as the Chairman of the Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission, marking a key step in his administration’s preparations for the upcoming local council polls.
The meeting took place at the government house, Gusau, Zamfara State Capital.
According to a statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the tenure of the current leadership, comprising the 14 sole administrators, will end on October 23, 2024.
Lawal highlighted that he had recently signed amendments to the Zamfara State Electoral Law, which pertain to the forthcoming local government elections.
He said, “Based on the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, we need to conduct elections in our local government councils.
“With the signing of the amended law, the State Independent Elections Commission will announce the election timetable as soon as possible so that we will have democratically elected local government councils in Zamfara State.”
He further instructed, “The Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission is to come up with guidelines and modalities for the elections, and it is expected that we all will give the necessary support and cooperation towards the success of the exercise.”
The statement also noted that during the Executive Council meeting, Lawal informed members about his recent participation in the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, describing it as a valuable experience.
He expressed optimism that it would result in positive outcomes for his administration’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the people of Zamfara.
Additionally, during the meeting, Lawal directed the Secretary to the State Government to collaborate with the Deputy Governor to promptly inaugurate the Zamfara State Investment Promotion Agency Board to ensure its effective operation.
“The Governor also informed the council that the state is ready to commence the cash transfer component of NG-Cares, a program aimed at supporting vulnerable individuals in the state,” the statement added.
The Governor explained, “The transfers will support the vulnerable poor, unemployed youth, and women across the 14 Local Government Areas of the state. A total of about N4.9 billion will be expended on the project.”
He provided further details, saying, “The beneficiaries will include 5,000 poor and vulnerable households; Labour Intensive Public Workfare (LIPW) for 6,000 unemployed youths and women; and Livelihood Support Grants (LG) for 8,000 economically active youths and women.”
The Governor concluded by emphasizing, “The principle of fairness and justice must guide the nominations for all peoples in our constituencies.”
