 has reaffirmed that the September 26, 2026 date for the state’s local government elections){kind=link}
From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) has reaffirmed that the September 26, 2026 date for the state’s local government elections remains sacrosanct, saying preparations for the exercise are already in full swing.
Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Yabani Mohammed, made this known on Tuesday during a press conference at the SIEC headquarters in Damaturu, the state capital.
Yabani said the commission was conducting the electoral process strictly within the provisions of the law, stressing that every step taken so far had been guided by the relevant constitutional and electoral provisions.
According to him, the commission initially announced on April 26, 2025, that elections would be conducted across Yobe’s 17 local government councils.
He explained that the announcement was made in compliance with the legal requirement at the time, which stipulated that an election should be declared at least 300 days before the proposed polling date.
“Although the new electoral law has reduced the required period, the election had already been declared by my predecessor. Therefore, all activities connected with the exercise were clearly captured in our guidelines,” he said.
The SIEC chairman noted that political parties were also given a timetable for conducting their primaries between May 1 and May 31, a period he described as particularly demanding for political actors.
He said the commission initially considered June 6, 2026, for the local government elections, but concerns over the timing of party primaries prompted a review.
Yabani explained that holding the election barely a week after the conclusion of political party primaries would have placed unnecessary pressure on politicians, journalists and other stakeholders involved in the process.
Following consultations and legislative action, the Yobe State House of Assembly amended the relevant law, paving the way for the election to be moved to September 26.
“This means that we are operating within the law and are not violating any legal provision. That was why it was possible to move the election date to September 26,” he stated.
Screening Begins Across Yobe
Yabani also announced that the commission had commenced the screening of candidates contesting the forthcoming council elections.
He said the screening exercise would run from September 1 to September 7, 2026, in accordance with the commission’s timetable.
The exercise, he disclosed, has been divided into different teams, with separate arrangements for councillorship candidates and those seeking the positions of chairman and vice-chairman.
While councillorship candidates are to be screened at designated zonal centres, chairmanship and vice-chairmanship candidates will undergo screening at the SIEC headquarters in Damaturu.
The commission has created three screening zones to cover the 17 local government areas.
Zone A will handle candidates from local government areas within its jurisdiction, with Damaturu serving as one of the designated centres.
Zone B has Potiskum as its screening centre, while Zone C will operate from two locations because of the large geographical area it covers.
Yabani said reports reaching the commission indicated that screening had already commenced in Potiskum, with candidates from some local government areas completing the exercise.
He said the development demonstrated the commission’s determination to stick to its timetable and ensure that preparations for the election proceeded without unnecessary delays.
“The screening exercise will commence simultaneously across the three zones,” he said.
The chairman added that immediately after the press conference, the commission would begin screening chairmanship and vice-chairmanship candidates at its Damaturu headquarters.
He expressed confidence that the entire screening process would be completed by September 7 as scheduled.
Yabani further stressed that the screening criteria were not arbitrary, but were based on constitutional and legal provisions governing eligibility to contest elective positions.
He said candidates for chairmanship, vice-chairmanship and councillorship positions would be assessed against clearly defined requirements.
The SIEC chairman assured political parties and candidates that the commission would continue to conduct the process transparently and in accordance with the law as Yobe moves towards the September 26 local government elections.
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