Enugu State Sets Date for Local Government Council Election

Strategic Insights -

Enugu State has scheduled local government council chairmanship and councilorship elections to hold on 26 September 2026, according to a notice issued by the Chairperson of the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), Christian Ngwu. The elections are set to follow a series of preparatory steps, including party primaries, dispute resolution, and candidate screening. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won all the chairmanship and councilorship seats in the state during the last election held on 21 September 2024.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has fixed 26 September 2026 for local government council chairmanship and councilorship elections.
  • Political party primaries will be held from 23 January to 18 February 2026.
  • The resolution of disputes arising from the primaries and the observation of the process by ENSIEC will take place within the same period.
  • Political parties are required to submit information on the conduct of party primaries, specifying the time, venue, and date, between 27 November and 12 December 2025.
  • The screening of chairmanship candidates' credentials will be held between 25 to 27 March 2026.
  • Political parties must submit nomination forms ENSIEC 7 and ENSIEC 7A for Chairmanship and Councillorship Elections not later than 180 days before the election.
  • Any submission outside the period would be in violation of Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.
  • The last local government council election in Enugu State was held on 21 September 2024, with the ruling PDP winning all the chairmanship and councilorship seats.

Statistics:

  • The election is scheduled to hold on 26 September 2026.
  • The recruitment of new staff will require 20,000 signs-in-per-day audit per month for the next three months.
  • The elections will follow a series of preparatory steps, including party primaries, dispute resolution, and candidate screening.
  • The Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy was in July 2024.
  • The Supreme Court held that the local governments across the country should, henceforth, receive their allocations directly from the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Sources:

  • Premium Times (2025) - unspecified.
  • AllAfrica Global Media (AllAfrica.com) - unspecified.