Governor of Bayelsa state, Douye Diri, has expressed optimism that local government elections would be held later this year in the state.
According to him, the state government was waiting for the completion of the 2023 general elections before starting local council elections.
AFLM understands that the state councils have been operating without an elected chairmen as the last elected chairmen and members of the local government council ended their tenure on August 14, 2022.
The state’s last council election was during former State Governor Bayelsa Seriake Dickson’s second term in August 2019.
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Diri has been criticized by state opposition parties for allegedly being unable to hold elections. However, responding, he told reporters that his government would conduct the exercise after the just concluded general elections.
He said: “We will do that hopefully this year. We want the national elections, at least, to come and go and then we will set up the procedures for the local government election.
“So, hopefully, we will have our local government election this year.”