PDP Sweeps July 13 Council Polls in Delta State

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged victorious in the July 13 council polls across the 24 local government areas of Delta State.

The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) announced the results on Sunday at its headquarters in Asaba.

DSIEC Chairman, Dr. Jerry Agbaike, revealed that the Allied People’s Movement (APM) secured a win in one electoral ward in Oshimili South local government area.

Addressing the media after the results were declared by the LGA Returning Officers, Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central senatorial district, criticized the election process.

He described it as a mere coronation of all PDP-nominated candidates and a sham, accusing the state electoral body of acting under the governor’s instructions.

Dafinone lamented the election, calling it a mockery of democratic ideals and standards.

He expressed concern over how state governors use state electoral commissions like DSIEC to undermine local government elections.

“It’s very unfortunate and sad how low our people can go to acquire power,” Dafinone said.

“It’s even more troubling that after 25 years in our democratic experiment, we can’t conduct what looks like an election at the local government level.”

He applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the financial autonomy of local governments with the recent Supreme Court landmark judgment.

Dafinone urged Nigerians to work collectively to amend the constitution to rescue the local government system from state governors.

“It’s disheartening that our governors, who are products of free and fair elections, can’t replicate the same in the local government areas of their state,” Dafinone continued.

“If INEC were to conduct elections the way the governors purportedly teleguide SIEC to conduct local government polls, many of them would not be governors today.”

Dafinone highlighted reports of electoral malpractices, including the non-supply of electoral materials to opposition strongholds.

He called for a constitutional amendment to ensure that a credible agency like INEC conducts local government elections across the country.

“We must do likewise to enthrone democratic principles at the local government level by ensuring that a credible agency, possibly INEC, is charged with the conduct of local government elections across the country to guarantee our people’s participation in democratic governance,” he concluded.