Owing to the criticism of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) on the state government over its refusal to conduct the LG polls within 2016 despite its provisions in the current budget, investigations have revealed why the Kaduna State Government cannot conduct local government elections this year.

Ceoafrica however gathered that the state government’s decision to conduct local government elections was hampered mainly by litigations and statutory requirement that it must issue 90-day notice before the election.

Among the cases was the one instituted by the former caretaker chairman of Jaba Local Government Council, Alexander Guruza Hyamu, who has dragged the state government to court, challenging the constitutionality or otherwise of having caretaker chairmen in place.

Stating its stand on the criticism, CNPP alleged that the state government is afraid that it might lose in the election adding that the governor had broken one of his major promises by his failure to conduct elections within three months of his inauguration.

It was gathered that apart from including the cost for conducting the polls in the 2016 budget, the state government had earlier in the year sent a team of officials to Brazil to study the system of electronic voting for the purpose of using same for LG elections.

A source in government said that the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) had made a presentation to the government regarding its intention to adopt electronic voting, while the state government had asked the electoral umpire to provide the cost implications and recommend the most appropriate technology and equipment manufacturer to be engaged.

A source who preferred anonymity said it was when the KAD-SIECOM completed the task that the state government would consider holding the elections as it’s not concerned with fear of losing the election.

The spokesman to the governor, Mr Samuel Aruwan, declined to comment on the matter when he was contacted, saying it was a subject of litigation which if well examined, are caused by factors which aren’t their making.