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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) has again postponed the 2026 Local Government Council election, earlier scheduled for Saturday, November 7.
The Chairman of the commission, Chief Charles Ejiogu, announced the postponement on Saturday, 31 October 2026, in his welcome address at a critical stakeholders’ meeting ahead of the council polls.
The meeting was attended by the chairman and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), chairmen of all registered political parties in Imo State, commissioners and management staff of ISIEC, traditional rulers and presidents-general, chairmanship and councillorship aspirants, leaders of faith-based organisations, women and youth groups, and the media.
Ejiogu recalled that the electoral process leading to the 2026 council election had commenced pursuant to the commission’s notification of 360 days on 18 September 2025, in line with Section 7(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 16(1) of Imo State Government Law No. 6 and the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission Establishment Law 2005 (as amended).
He said that, in compliance with the relevant legislation and in view of the expiration of the two-year tenure of the 27 council chairmen and councillors elected on 21 September 2024 and sworn in on 30 September 2024, the commission had announced in a press release its readiness to conduct the polls on Saturday, 26 September 2026.
According to him, the position did not go down well with critical stakeholders, particularly IPAC, with some members approaching the judiciary to compel ISIEC to extend the timeframe.
He said that, on account of its sensitivity to the yearnings of stakeholders, ISIEC had embarked on a series of constructive engagements with IPAC and other stakeholders, which culminated in the postponement of the earlier scheduled 26 September polls to 7 November 2026.
Ejiogu said the meeting was convened to interface with stakeholders and inform them about the undercurrents as the commission moved towards the 7 November polls.
“Secondly, it is important to state categorically that as a result of the significance of the upcoming council election, ISIEC is not an island unto itself and will certainly not act without IPAC, the umbrella body of all registered political parties. Hence, IPAC remains most strategic partner in the electoral process,” he said.
He said the meeting was also premised on the need to listen to stakeholders and seek their empathy and understanding in order to collectively build safeguards for a peaceful, transparent and credible council election that meets international best practices.
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Reaffirming the commission’s impartiality, Ejiogu said: “ISIEC as an established democratic institution belongs to no political party and we will remain an impartial Electoral Management Body.
“The Commission will provide a level playing ground for all the registered political parties, supporters and their candidates. The Commission’s allegiance is to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission Establishment Law and the good people of Imo State.”
He urged stakeholders to exhibit tolerance of opposing viewpoints and shun violence, thuggery, hate speech and anti-social behaviours inimical to grassroots democracy.
He disclosed that ISIEC was in operational collaboration with security agencies and was working towards setting up an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), comprising the Nigeria Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies, to ensure adequate security before, during and after the elections.
He urged IPAC to sign and uphold a peace accord, warning that no one or group would be allowed to subvert the will of the people.
On the conduct of the election, he said the polls would take place in 4,758 polling units and 305 wards in the 27 local government areas of the state, while appealing to political parties to ensure that internal democracy thrived and to note that the Electoral Act 2022 demanded that all primary elections be observed by ISIEC.
His words: “At this juncture, having consulted widely, the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission is constrained to announce that the scheduled Saturday 7th November, 2026 Local Government Council Elections will no longer hold.
“Today, the Commission will afford you the opportunity to express your considered viewpoints with informed suggestions, as it works towards the new date. Rest assured that within the shortest possible time, the Commission will announce the new date, timetable and guidelines.”
He assured that ISIEC would not shirk its constitutional responsibility of conducting a peaceful, transparent and credible election that would usher in democratically elected chairmen and councillors.
“Let me reassure the political parties and their aspirants/candidates that as an Electoral Management Body, ISIEC will present to all of you a seamless level playing ground for all your chairmanship and councillorship candidates that will emerge after the primaries,” he concluded.
