By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) is to create additional council wards in the state; chairman of the commission, Dr John Chen, announced this Friday at a meeting organised for BSIEC stakeholders in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
Dr Chen also announced that local government election will hold on July 6, 2024 and gave assurances that provision will be made for internally displaced persons so as not to disenfranchise them.
Chen said the intention to create additional wards is due to increase in population as well as social, political and economic activities at the local government level.
“This initiative is in recognition of exponential growth in the demography, social, political and economic activities at the third tier of government.
“We believe additional council wards will provide a more equitable representation at the grassroots level, thereby bringing governance and the dividends of democracy closer to the people,” Chen explained.
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Asked how many council wards are going to be created, the chairman said it will depend on the scope of population and the request submitted to the commission.
According to an action plan released by BSIEC, submission of requests for creation of additional council wards by communities and individuals in the various local government councils and council wards, said to be in line with Section 12 (b) of the Benue State Electoral Commission Establishment Law 2000 (as amended) will start on April 10 to end on April 20, 2024.
Communities or individuals making submission for creation of ward are to pay a “non-refundable processing deposit of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only,” BSIEC outlined in its plan, which also directed that submissions “must include the proposed name and headquarters of the council ward, and submitted in ten (10) bound copies addressed to the Chairman of BSIEC while soft copies are to be forwarded to the commission via its email at: electionsolutions@gmail.com.
The approved list of new wards would be published on May 20, 2024 about two months and some weeks before the local government election.
In BSIEC’s timetable, submission of names and nomination papers of candidates nominated by political parties to contest local government chairmanship and councillorship positions is slated for May 30, 2024.
