After 13 Years, Borno State Conducts First Local Government Elections

The Borno State Independent Electoral Commission has conducted the first local government elections to be held in 13 years.

Borno State, Northeast Nigeria has been the epicentre of the insurgency that terrorist group, Boko Haram has been unleashing for more than a decade.

The election which was earlier scheduled to hold in June was suspended because of COVID-19 pandemic and moved to Saturday, November 28.

A total of 38 chairmanship candidates took part in the polls, 18 of the 27 local councils had unopposed candidates, fielded by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State in a state broadcast called on residents to come out and exercise their franchise in the local government elections.

Zulum travelled to Mafa town in Mafa local government area where he cast his vote amidst cheers from supporters.

On Thursday in preparation of the elections, the state’s police command ordered restriction on vehicular movements between 6 am to 4 pm.

The command also assured members of the public of preparedness of the command and other security agencies to provide adequate security, the command called ‘all eligible voters to go out and exercise their franchise without fear.

Elections for Abadam, Guzamala, Marte local government areas as well as eight wards of kukawa local governments held in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps hosting residents of those local governments,

Elections were also held in four IDPs camps in four local government areas comprising Abadam, Marte, Kukawa and Guzamala local government areas.