LG election: Candidates protest sudden closure of Kaduna KADSIECOM portal 

Ahead of the October 19 local government election in Kaduna state, candidates from various political parties have staged a protest at the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) over the sudden closure of the portal for the upcoming polls.

The protesting candidates called on Governor Uba Sani, known for his democratic reforms and fair distribution of projects to intervene and reopen the portal.

The candidates, who gathered outside the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD SIECOM) headquarters Sunday, expressed frustration over the exorbitant fees and confusing guidelines.

One of the protesters, Hon. Bulus Bitrus, a chairmanship candidate from Labour Party said, “Majority of us are not wealthy politicians. We are ordinary people trying to serve our communities. These fees are not only a barrier to our participation but the sudden closure of the payment portal also contradicts section 5.11 of the KAD SIECOM 2024 election guidelines.

“Our key demands are that; payment portal should be re-opened to allow candidates to balance their fees; the SIECOM guidelines should be reviewed; there is need for clarification on payment procedures to prevent confusion; there is need for fair representation and there is need to ensure community members are not disenfranchised.” 

The candidates urged Governor Sani to use his office to address the concerns, citing his “unstoppable momentum” and unprecedented achievements in just one year.

He expressed hope that as the world watches, Governor Sani will heed the candidates’ call and safeguard democracy in Kaduna state, adding that, Governor Sani’s reputation for democratic reforms and fair distribution of projects give hope to the candidates and the people of Kaduna state.