2023 POLLS: CROSIEC releases timetable as Chairman calls for unity
Emmanuel Alfred
The Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), has released the timetable for the conduct of Local Government Elections in the State .
The timetable was released yesterday, July 20, 2022 by the Chairman, Prof Mike Ushie at the CROSIEC office in a meeting with Political Parties in the state .
The conduct of party primaries according to the timetable starts from October to November, 2022 while submission of list of candidates ends by November 24, 2022.
The submission of nomination forms ends on 2nd December, 2022.
Prof Ushie used the opportunity to update the stakeholders on the need to have the timetable and why the time is right time to release the timetable.
‘The timetable is a guide for the electoral process and it marks the commencement of the exercise with well written timelines. It is important to attach timelines to whatever we are doing’. He said.
‘Even at that, there are critical timelines where parties are expected to begin their primaries, submit their candidates and when nomination forms are supposed to be collected and returned’. Ushie added.
Recall that notice of elections in compliance with the Electoral Act of 2022 was issued on May 30, 2022 and the guidelines were made available to the Political Parties.
On the authenticity of the whole Elections, he said, ‘When you want to start something new, opinions will come up from different quarters and most time, they are not in line with what is obtainable.
‘The question should be if the time is right for the Local Government Elections. The law of every state stipulates the tenure of every Local Government Chairman and the tenure of the Council Chairmen will be ending by June 2023 and the election is coming up on May 24, 2023, so, we are on the right track’.
On the preparedness of the Parties for the Polls, the Chairman said, ‘I have advised Political Parties to get busy by infoming the electorate of their candidates, selling their manifestos and engaging them in grassroot canvassing ‘.
He further advised Political Parties to desist from internal wrangling because only unity can ensure a smooth elections because results will be displayed for everyone to see.
He then called on everyone to participate actively in the Polls as CROSIEC is committed to delivering a free, fair and credible elections.
