COVID-19: Ebonyi suspends LG poll, considers closing down market

The Ebonyi State Government has indefinitely suspended its local government election scheduled for April, 25, 2020, owing to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.
Also suspended forthwith were all activities and processes leading to the election.
The suspension was announced by Governor David Umahi during a live broadcast on Saturday at the new Government House, Abakaliki.
Umahi explained that the suspension was as a result of the great need to adopt all precautionary measures and policies against the deadly global scourge.
He noted that the suspension was in exercise of the powers bestowed on him by the relevant sections of the Laws, especially the COVID-19 and other Infectious Diseases Law of Ebonyi State, 2020.
He directed the Chairman, Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, Jossy Eze, to convene a meeting of all political parties and other election stakeholders informing them of the decision and the reasons behind it.
Umahi said: “I know that the local government election is billed to hold on April 25, and the tenure of the present chairmen will end this May.
“There are a lot of activities that are supposed to take place in this period, but I am directing EBSIEC to immediately convene a meeting of all Service Chiefs and Chairmen of political parties and explain to them that all activities regarding this election are hereby suspended in line with the law on COVID-19.”
Umahi lamented that traders at the Ebonyi International Market have continued to disregard government’s directive on minimum social distancing and use of protective masks.
He warned that he may consider total close down of all markets in the State if significant compliance was not recorded from the traders within the shortest time.
The Governor further flayed his aides: Executive Assistants, Technical and Senior Technical Assistants, for not doing enough to enforce compliance at the markets, warning that most of them may risk their salaries.
He maintained that his administration was determined to employ all legitimate means to ensure that the State was free of the pandemic, adding that the economic and social peculiarity of the State demands proactive approach to stemming the scourge.