* Niger State Gov. Bello


by Pita Chib, Minna

As the local government election is drawing nearer in Niger state,  the State Independent Electoral Commission SIEC, on Monday  cleared 83 chairmanship and 670 councillorship candidates from ,9 political parties .

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC, and the main opposition political party, Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in the state have equal number of 25 chairmanship and 274 councillorship contestants.

The All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA is fielding 9 chairmanship and 48 councillorship candidates followed by the GPN which has 8 chairmanship and 7 councillorship contestants and the ANP with 7 chairmanship and 9 councillorship contestants.

The NNPP is fielding 4 chairmanship and 9 councillorship candidates while the SDP and the NCP are fielding one each of chairmanship and councillorship candidates.

Chairman of the Commission Aminu Baba Alhaji, who disclosed this at the opening of a three day "Train the Trainers" workshop organised in partnership with the the International Foundation For Electoral System IFEST for Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers in Minna, said everything is set for the election taking place on the 30th of this month.
Alhaji commended the political parties for the orderly and peaceful way they have conducted their elections so far and charged them to keep the flag flying.

He said the training was part of the plan of the Commission to conduct free and fair election in the state.

"This training is to prepare you for and acquaint you with all that you need to conduct a free and transparent election " the SIEC chairman stated .
The Programmes Manager of IFEST,  Mr Solomon Fotolo, said the workshop would concentrate on training the participants on " Vote  counting and Election result management"

Fotolo said IFEST had been engaged in similar training in parts of the country in the past which ensured success of the elections conducted and therefore asked the participants to take the exercise very serious.
All the Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers in the 25 local governments of the state are attending the training.