By Modupe Adegboro
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) has organised a comprehensive sensitisation workshop for political stakeholders aimed at deepening understanding of the newly enacted Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2025.
The programme, held in collaboration with Equity Draftsmen Law Office, Lokoja, brought together political party representatives, legal experts, civil society organisations, the media, and other critical actors in the state’s electoral process.
The workshop, themed “Understanding Electoral Procedures Under the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2025: A Panacea for Credible Elections,” was designed to simplify the legal and operational frameworks that will guide forthcoming Local Government elections across the state.
Participants were taken through key provisions of the new law, including pre-election processes, innovations introduced by the 2025 legislation, roles of candidates and election agents, compliance requirements, dispute-prevention mechanisms, and strategies to promote credible, transparent, and peaceful elections.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of KOSIEC, Mamman Nda Eri, described elections as the “heartbeat of democracy,” stressing that the strength of any electoral system relies not just on the existence of laws, but on the collective understanding and adherence to those laws by all stakeholders.
He noted that the 2025 Electoral Law provides clear guidelines, timelines, and safeguards intended to enhance transparency and predictability in the conduct of Local Government elections.
“The essence of this law is not in the pages on which it is written, but in how each citizen, political actor, and electoral officer understands and aligns with its spirit,” he said.
Eri highlighted Clarity, Accountability, and Inclusiveness as the three core pillars of the new electoral procedure. He emphasised that when stakeholders understand and follow due process, elections cease to be “a battlefield of suspicion” and instead become “a dignified expression of the people’s will.”
In his welcome address, the Secretary of KOSIEC, Hon. Muhammed Usman, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to credible and legally compliant elections. He noted that recent judicial decisions across the country have made it clear that strict adherence to statutory regulations in all electoral processes is essential.
Hon. Usman explained that the workshop was designed to equip political parties and other stakeholders with essential information drawn from the KOSIEC Law 2025 and the Electoral Act 2022, ensuring a clearer understanding of the legal expectations guiding Local Government elections.
He reiterated the Commission’s vision of full compliance with electoral guidelines and judicial pronouncements, emphasising that transparency, equity, impartiality, and integrity remain the Commission’s guiding principles. He assured participants that KOSIEC would continue to collaborate with all stakeholders and remain committed to excellence in fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
A detailed paper was presented by Hon. Bamidele Suru, followed by an interactive question-and-answer session.
The sensitisation workshop marks a significant step toward improving electoral literacy across the state.
As Kogi prepares for its next cycle of Local Government elections, KOSIEC is equipping stakeholders with the knowledge embedded in the 2025 law, thereby strengthening the foundation for credible, peaceful, and widely accepted elections.
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