By James Danjuma, Katsina
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state on Tuesday, said Local Government Elections would hold within the first quarter of next year.
The assurance came more than six years after elected officials in the state’s 34 councils were dissolved shortly after Masari became first-term governor in May, 2015.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Masari said the delay in conduct of the election was due to a pending court case that had lasted some years of his administration.
Recall that officials at the councils who had been elected on platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were dissolved by Masari’s All Progressive Congress government more than six years ago.
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Masari had cited misapplication of public funds by the council officials, as reason for the dissolution, a development that led the PDP to head to court.
But the Supreme Court later made final decision on the matter, asking the state government to pay the dissolved officials their entitlements.
Masari said 70 percent of what was required for the smooth conduct of the polls was already on ground, and that a date would soon be fixed for conduct of the election.
He said a committee led by his Chief of Staff, Muntari Lawal has since been set up to work in collaboration with stakeholders for smooth conduct of the election next year.