Yobe sets local election date and begins candidate screening

Yobe’s local government election timetable is now in motion, with candidate screening under way across the state.

The Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission began screening chairmanship, vice-chairmanship and councillorship candidates on September 1. The exercise is scheduled to continue until September 7, according to commission chairman Ibrahim Yabani.

Councillorship aspirants are being screened in three designated zones. Zone A is based in Damaturu, Zone B in Potiskum, and Zone C covers Bade and Nguru local government areas. Chairmanship and vice-chairmanship candidates are being screened at the commission’s headquarters in Damaturu.

Yabani said the process follows constitutional requirements. “The screening guidelines are very clear; it is adopted from the Constitution. The 1999 Constitution as amended clearly gives us the qualifications of who is going to stand and qualify to stand for the election for Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Councilors in any of the Local Government Areas in Nigeria,” he said.

Political parties are scheduled to campaign from September 18 to 25. The commission has trained electoral officers across all 17 local government areas, while election materials are due to be deployed on September 24. The elections will take place across Yobe on September 26, 2026.

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The screening guidelines are very clear; it is adopted from the Constitution. The 1999 Constitution as amended clearly gives us the qualifications of who is going to stand and qualify to stand for the election for Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Councilors in any of the Local Government Areas in Nigeria.