Shun personality attacks, sell ideas-ENSIEC urges Local Govt poll candidates

Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has urged candidates contesting the September 26 ,2026 local government elections against personality attacks, abusive language and inflammatory campaigns, urging them to focus on issues and policies that would improve the lives of residents.

The Executive Chairman of ENSIEC, Prof. Christian Ngwu, gave the warning on Saturday in Enugu while outlining the type of electioneering campaign expected to promote peace, inclusiveness and mass participation in the council polls.
Ngwu said the commission was anticipating a rancour-free campaign ahead of the September 26 local government elections across the state, urging candidates to take their messages directly to communities and neighbourhoods.

He said, “Go to the field, community and neighbourhood, and tell the people what you have for them and your plans to focus on issues that will better their lives and uplift them of inadequacies.
“We also want the electorate to ask them relevant questions on how they plan to carry out their campaign promises.”
The ENSIEC chairman said the commission would not tolerate campaigns centred on attacking the personality or reputation of opponents, noting that such conduct could trigger political violence and deepen bitterness among supporters.
According to him, candidates should resist the temptation to heat up the polity through uncultured, abusive or provocative language.
“No one should heat up the polity with uncultured and abusive languages that attack individual candidates’ personality.
“Let us do well to keep the campaigns civil and accommodating, making the welfare of the people, who are the electorate, the main focus,” Ngwu said.
He urged political parties and their candidates to use the campaign period to explain their programmes, policies and plans to the electorate instead of engaging in personal attacks.
Ngwu also encouraged voters to scrutinise campaign promises and demand clear explanations from candidates on how they intended to implement their proposed programmes if elected.
The September 26 polls will see candidates from 11 political parties competing for 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship positions across the 17 local government areas of Enugu State.

ENSIEC has concluded a train-the-trainer workshop for its officials as part of preparations for the elections.
The officials trained include 17 Electoral Officers, one for each of the 17 local government areas, 17 Assistant Electoral Officers, seven directors, five commissioners and an administrative secretary.
The commission said the training was part of measures to strengthen the capacity of its personnel and ensure effective conduct of the forthcoming council elections.