CROSIEC Release Critical Timelines, Guidelines And Fees For 2023 Council Polls

By Jonathan Ugbal

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The Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSIEC on Wednesday released critical timelines and guidelines for the conduct of the proposed May 24th 2023 council polls to political parties.

 Timelines…

The comThemission had on May 20, 2022, issued the notice of election in line with Section 20 subsections 1 and 2 of the act establishing the commission in the State.

According to the commission, political parties are to conduct primaries for Chairmanship and Councilorship positions between October 1, 2022, and October 21, 2022. The collection and submission of the list of proposed candidates is slated for October 24th through November 24th 2022.

Also, nomination forms will be submitted between November 28th and December 2nd 2022 with the campaigns to last from December 27th 2022 until May 23rd 2023.

The Guidelines…

Aspirants for the position of Chairman must be at least 30 years old, while those seeking to be Councilor must be at least 25 years of age.

Aspirants for the position of Chairman must be nominated by twenty people whose names are on the voter’s register from at least two thirds of the wards that make up the Local Government Area. For the position of Councilor, the aspirants need 10 nominees.

Aspirants who later become candidates for the position of Chairman will pay up to NGN960,000 to the Commission, which is broken down as follows; NGN500,000 for nomination paper in line with Section 22 of the law; NGN60,000 for processing fee; NGN200,000 unspecified deposit and NGN200,000 non-violence fee if they become candidates.

For Councilors, they may pay up to NGN470,000. This includes NGN250,000 nomination fee; NGN20,000 processing fee; NGN100,000 unspecified deposit, and NGN100,000 non-violence fee if they become candidates.

The Commission said all rallies will end by 6:00PM and that two political parties cannot hold rallies in the same location at the same time.

Furthermore, parties are expected to submit the details of their polling agents to the Commission, at least seven days before the election. The agents must be registered voters in the polling unit. The same is applicable at the Ward and Council level. The Commission said every polling agent must submit themselves to be searched by the Presiding Officer or the Security Officer.

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