Bayelsa fixes April 3 for LG polls

The Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission has announced April 3, 2027, as the date for the conduct of chairmanship and councillorship elections across local government areas in Bayelsa State.

The commission’s chairman, Peter Singabele, made the disclosure on Monday during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the commission’s conference room in Yenagoa.

He assured stakeholders that the elections would be conducted in a free, fair, credible, and conclusive manner.

He said, “In compliance with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, notice is hereby given that local government elections in Bayelsa State shall take place on April 3, 2027, in all the eight local government areas.”

He called on all registered political parties to organise their internal party congresses in accordance with the commission’s timetable to elect their preferred candidates for the chairmanship and councillorship positions.

“Consequently, all registered political parties are hereby notified to organise their internal party congresses in accordance with the commission’s timetable to select their preferred candidates for the chairmanship and councillorship positions,” he said.

According to the timetable released by the commission, the notice of election takes effect from March 23, 2026.

Collection of Forms F001 and F002 by political parties will take place from August 29 to September 9, 2026, at the BYSIEC headquarters in Yenagoa.

Party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, are scheduled for September 11 to September 25, 2026, while campaigns by political parties will commence on November 3, 2026.

Submission of Forms F001 and F002 is slated for September 26 to October 3, 2026, while publication of personal particulars of candidates (Form F001) will be done on October 25, 2026.

The last day for submission of nomination forms by political parties is October 3, 2026, while October 17, 2026, has been fixed as the deadline for withdrawal or replacement of candidates.

The commission said the official register of voters for the elections would be published on December 29, 2026, while the list of nominated candidates would be released on January 3, 2027.

It added that details of the polling day, eligible voters, and locations of polling units would be published on March 16, 2027.

Voter education and sensitisation by the commission will be held from January 5 to January 12, 2027, while submission of names of party agents to electoral officers will close on March 16, 2027.

Campaigns will end at midnight on April 1, 2027, ahead of the elections scheduled for April 3, 2027.

The commission promised to work in synergy with all stakeholders and hold regular consultative meetings to ensure a hitch-free electoral process.

Those present at the meeting included members and executives of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, representatives of security agencies in the state, and journalists

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