The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commisson (EBSIEC), has rolled out the electoral timetable for the 2026 Local Government Council in the state.
The EBSIEC Chairman, Mr Patrick Enyi unveiled the electoral timetable during stakeholders engagements meeting at the commission's office, Abakaliki, the state capital on Wednesday.
Enyi said, the release of the electoral timetable one year before the election is in line with the act establishing the Commisson, and urged all registered political parties in the state to get their parties in order and follow strictly, the guidelines as released by the commission.
"It gives me great pleasure to stand before you esteemed stakeholders and to address you on behalf of the members of Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) on the activities we have lined up for the conduct of the August 2026 Local Government Council Elections for Ebonyi people to elect the Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councilors of the 13 Local Government Areas.
"As Chairman and members of the 6th Commission, we were appointed and sworn in on the 15th day of August 2025 by the Governor and Chief Executive of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru FNIOB GGCEHF with a strict mandate to conduct credible, transparent, free, and fair elections that will be in tandem with the enabling laws. Conscious of this mandate, we resumed duties immediately and gave ourselves a clear goal of achieving maximum results in the statutory mandate of the Commission. We have worked round the clock to ensure that a promising turning point in the affairs of the Commission is achieved. The staff of the Commission can bear witness to this fact. We are deeply grateful to the Governor who has given us the climate and the latitude to discharge our duties without fear or favour. We remain deeply committed to maintaining the tempo in our determination to serve the interest of the State with profound responsibility. We assure you of our devotion to the will of the people and the integrity of the electoral process.
"As you all know, the tenure of the current democratically elected Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and councilors will expire on 1st day of September 2026 in accordance with the statutory contemplation of Ebonyi State Electoral Law, which provides for a two-year tenure for the office of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Councilor. Guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the Electoral Law of Ebonyi State on the procedures and regulations for the conduct of Local Government elections, we have developed schedules of activities and timetable for the conduct of the State 2026 Local Government Elections scheduled to hold on 22nd August 2026.
"Our vision is to sustain a trajectory of public confidence in the mandate of EBSIEC as an unbiased umpire both in the timing and conduct of the elections. In achieving this, we have put in place robust mechanisms to ensure the credibility of the electoral process. We have published a statutory notice of election, which came into effect on the 25th day of August 2025. We have proactively drawn up the plan of action, schedule of activities, and the timetable for the election.
"The objective of this stakeholders' engagement is to unveil the timetable and schedule of activities and to interact with the stakeholders on the challenges and stimulating circumstances that will make our electoral process to be hitch free and seamless. It is hoped that through this engagement, we shall synthesize perspectives, share information, and build stronger stakeholder relationships that will create better outcomes in our elections.
"The components of the EBSIEC electoral timetable for the 2026 Local Government Elections are as listed below:
a) Notice of Election - 25-8-2025
b) Publication of Election Timetable - 24-9-2025
c) Release/Publication of Guidelines or Regulations for the election at the various LG Offices of the Commission including public service announcement to that effect - 17-10-2025
d) Collection of Forms - 14-11-2025
e) Conduct of Party Primaries (including resolution of disputes arising therefrom) - 4-12-2025 to 3-2-2026
f) Submission of Forms (Personal particulars of Candidates; Names/List of Nominated Candidates) - 10-2-2026 to 17-2-2026
g) Publication of personal particulars of candidates by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) - 24-2-2026
h) Last day for withdrawal by candidates /Replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties - 3-3-2026
i) Last day for submission of nomination forms by political parties - 9-3-2026
j) Publication of final list of nominated candidates by EBSIEC - 18-3-2026
k) Commencement of campaign by political parties - 25-3-2026
l) Last day for submission of names of Polling Agents for the election to the EBSIEC Electoral Officer at the Local Government Area by political parties - 27-4-2026
m) Publication of Official Register of voters for the Election by EBSIEC - 5-6-2026
n) Publication of Notice of poll by EBSIEC - 23-6-2026
o) Last day for campaign by political parties - 20-8-2026
p) Date of Election - 22-8-2026
"As I wind up my address, I can not fail to thank and appreciate all the members of the current EBSIEC for their diligence and sense of responsibility. I thank the management and staff of EBSIEC for their cooperation and support to our administration. To our revered stakeholders and the security personnel in the State, especially those who found time to honour our invitation, I can not thank you enough. As we embark on this journey of establishing the platform for another phase of democratic governance at the grassroots, I invite us all to work together in our aspiration to make Ebonyi State a flagship of excellence in democratic governance at the grassroots in line with the People's Charter of Needs of our dear Governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. On this note, I unveil the EBSIEC electoral timetable to the glory of God and the service of humanity".
Electoral stakeholders in attendance include the leadership of inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) chairmen and secretaries of registered political parties in Ebonyi, civil society groups, the Media, People with disability, women groups amongst Others.
The stakeholders eulogized the leadership of EBSIEC for what they described as a total departure from the old order, and called for sustenance of the new reform in the commission to guarantee inclusion engender stability Justice in the polity.
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