By Nathaniel Irobi
The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) has again postponed the local government council election originally scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, this time indefinitely, and without disclosing specific reasons.
ISIEC Chairman Chief Charles Ejiogu announced the decision on Saturday during a stakeholders meeting in Owerri, stating that the commission was “constrained to announce that the election will not hold.”
He indicated that a new date would be announced “within the shortest possible time,” along with a new timetable and guidelines.
This is the second postponement of this election. It was originally scheduled for September 26, 2026, but was postponed due to litigation filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and others challenging the election timetable. It was subsequently rescheduled to November 7 following consultations with the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and other parties. The latest announcement means the November 7 date is also cancelled.
Ejiogu stated that the commission organized this stakeholders meeting to gather opinions from all parties and to seek understanding and support, in order to jointly establish safeguards for a peaceful, transparent, and credible election. He also assured that the commission would provide a level playing field for all political parties and candidates, and disclosed that ISIEC is collaborating with security agencies to establish an Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure security before, during, and after the election.
Imo State IPAC Chairman Uche Isiodu welcomed the postponement, calling it an opportunity for political parties to better prepare, but urged ISIEC to promptly publish a new timetable so that parties and candidates can plan accordingly. Other stakeholders expressed concerns about whether the election can still be held before the end of 2026.
The election was originally planned to cover 27 local government areas in Imo State, 305 wards, and 4,758 polling units.
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