Yobe shifts council election over resurgence of Covid-19

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

The local government council elections scheduled to hold on the 5th of December, 2020 has been shifted as a result of new incidences of the Covid-19 discovered.
However, as the state executive chairman of the independent electoral commission, Dr Mamman Mohammed revealed, the state recently recorded two new cases of Covid-19, and thus, thought it wise to postpone the election to save lives.
“Regrettably, State has recently recorded a slight resurgence of the COVID-19 with the two cases confirmed,”the chairman said.
He gave the hope of bringing the spread under control as the
state government is on top of the situation and the State Ministry of Health has taken positive steps to identify and isolate persons who have been in contact with the incidence cases.
“We are confident that the resurgence of the virus will be contained as it was contained earlier by the committed administration the state governor, Hon Mai Mala Buni.
He however stated that his commission has received policy documents from both the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), containing instructive information on conducting election under COVID-19
Both the INEC policy document and the NCDC guidelines, he stated further, contained elaborated information that will require the commission’s resolve to be diligent and responsible in conducting the proposed Local Government Councils Elections, with full conviction of a healthier community.
“Accordingly, after due consultation with our critical stakeholders, we resolved to readjust the date of our proposed elections to prevent the spread of or escalation of the incidence of manifestation in Yobe state,” the chairman said.
He pointed out that the need to be proactive in saving one life in Yobe State is a compelling and cogent reason to reschedule the date of this election in accordance with the law of the elections.