Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission has declared itself fully prepared for the local government council elections scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, with all electoral materials deployed across the state and personnel trained to conduct the poll that will produce chairmen and councillors to pilot the affairs of the 13 Local Government Areas for the next three years. EBSIEC Chairman, Enyi Patrick, disclosed this on Thursday, August 20, 2026, during a press briefing at the Commission's headquarters in Abakaliki, two days before the election. Patrick told journalists, political party leaders, security agencies, and civil society groups that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been packed and are ready for deployment to the 13 Local Government Areas, 171 Wards, and 2,946 Polling Units across the state.
The EBSIEC chairman outlined the timeline for the exercise, stating that accreditation and voting will commence exactly at 8:00 AM and close by 3:00 PM on election day, with both processes going on simultaneously at all polling units. He noted that the training of ad-hoc staff has been completed in all LGAs and that the collation of results will begin at the ward level and conclude at the local government level. Patrick reaffirmed EBSIEC's commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible, and peaceful election, calling on candidates, party supporters, and stakeholders to shun violence while assuring that security agencies have been fully deployed to ensure the safety of voters, election officials, and materials.
In a significant move towards inclusivity, Patrick highlighted that persons with disabilities were among the ad-hoc staff trained for the exercise. "Among the ad-hoc staff, you can find persons with disabilities trained for this exercise. That is to show you the level of participation that we want them to have. We have also trained our ad-hoc staff to give them the special attention needed so that they can exercise their franchise," he stated. The EBSIEC boss announced that the Commission's situation room will be activated on election day by 7:00 AM. He said the Commission has accredited independent observers for the election and advised those not accredited to stay away, noting that only the approved number will be granted access. On participation, Patrick said the election remains open to all political parties, listing the APC, ADC, Labour Party, and other parties fielding candidates across various wards. "For those who are here, it is a level playing field for all political parties," he added.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has also announced a restriction of movement on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, as part of security measures for the election. Police spokesperson SP Joshua Ukandu disclosed that the command has deployed personnel to various polling units and strategic locations across the state, working in synergy with sister security agencies to ensure adequate security coverage. Ukandu stated that officials of EBSIEC, accredited journalists and election observers, emergency service providers, and health workers are exempted from the restriction. The Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, has cautioned all political actors and their supporters to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and provocative statements capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the elections. "The CP further urged all eligible voters going to the polls to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly, obey all lawful instructions from security personnel and shun acts of violence or any other conduct capable of disrupting the electoral process," Ukandu said.
The EBSIEC Chairman had earlier warned mischief makers to stay clear of the chairmanship and councillorship election, while the Commissioner in-charge of voter education and publicity, Hon Collins Agbo, stated that the commission has complied with all the rules and guidelines stipulated in the laws establishing it. Agbo noted that the commission published a notice of election in August 2025, meeting the 360-day requirement by the Electoral Act for the conduct of the election. He reiterated that the commission has convened stakeholders meetings and published the list of contestants of various political parties. As Ebonyi State prepares for the local government elections, the Commission has expressed appreciation to the Ebonyi State Government, security agencies, civil society organizations, the media, and other stakeholders for their support in delivering an election "that Ebonyi people will be proud of and that will deepen democracy at the grassroots".
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