One of the attributes of man according to a sociologist Deflaur is that man is both a rational and social being living in an organized society.
This means that man is saddled with the tasks of evolving a realistic social order
capable of enthroning a harmonious acceptable consensus and norms.
Truly this has given rise to the modern democratic Government of today.
Recently the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) released the time table for the conduct of local government election in the state scheduled to hold on November 2, 2024.
It is a known fact that election is a mechanism through which the electorate choose their representatives in various electoral offices in the government. It is through election that the citizens can enthrone or reject those that they do not want to represent them.
To this end election makes a democratic Government popular, responsible as well as accountable to the people.
There is no doubt that the local government administration has been regarded as the third tier of government which is nearest to the people at the grass root.
Infact local government administration has remained the bedrock of government machineries which serve as a catalyst for the development of the rural communities .
Interestingly with the Supreme Court Judgment which granted full autonomy to the local government administration in the Federation, there is no doubt that local government administration will live up to its mandate of providing basic social amenities like grading of rural roads, construction of Culverts and bridges, rural electrification projects, building and equipping of health centers, and construction of water bore holes among other projects in rural communities.
Barely few days to the local government election many aspirants of the various political parties are busy consulting and soliciting for patronage from party members and asking for support on their candidacy to the forthcoming elections.
Apart from this, aspirant’s posters are being seen on social media platforms as well as being conspicuously displayed at strategic places with the background details of the programmes and manifestoes of what they will execute if voted into office.
Interestingly there is no doubt that the yearning and the desire of the people are high with the determination to ensure that democratic governance is once again enthroned in the local government system in the state.
For the success of the local government election to be realized, various political parties, stakeholders and electorate should see this election as a brotherly affair and not a do or die game. They should see the election as a great challenge to ensure that the local governments in the state are once again placed on the pedestal of democratic dispensation.
Therefore their decision to elect credible candidates with proven integrity who are committed to render honest service with ingenuity and resourcefulness to open a new window of infrastructural development should be paramount above other considerations.
so to achieve these objectives there is need for the State Independent Electoral Commission whose primary objective and responsibilities is to organize, supervise, and conduct the local government election would remain unbiased umpire so as to ensure free and fair election that will be acceptable to all.
More so, there is need for the mass media to create more awareness on the election so that the people will be mobilized on this all important election.
To this end, the State Governor, Dr Alex Otti deserves commendation for taking the bull by the horn in his efforts and determination to place the local government on the road map of democratic government.
