INEC ready for Kogi bye-election

Ahead of the Lokoja /KogiKoton Karfe federal constituency bye-election in Kogi state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared it’s readiness to conduct free, fair and creditable election.
Though at the stakeholders meeting organized by the commission in Lokoja yesterday, the absence of the ruling party at the meeting has raise suspicion over the credibility of the election slated for Saturday.
Addressing the stakeholders, the Kogi state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Professor James Apam revealed that non sensitive materials will be distributed to the affected two local government areas today while the sensitive materials will be moved on Saturday morning.
“We are now set for the conduct of the bye-election.
The sensitive materials like ballot boxes, voting cubicles, generators among others have been received and sent to the two local government areas.
“The Registration Area Centre where the ad-hoc staff are usually camped overnight have also been activated ahead of the election and even the security agents have pledged their cooperation for the success of the process,” the REC noted.
Apam also disclosed that four adhoc staff each will manned the 310 polling units in Lokoja and Kogi/ Koton-Karfe local government areas putting a total of 1240 ad-hoc staff for the exercise.
He stressed that the collation of results will be done at Koton-Karfe and Lokoja while the final collation will be at INEC office in Lokoja.
The REC who craved the cooperation of the stakeholders and the electorate for a peaceful conduct of the bye-election, noted that nine political parties will contest the election, assuring that the commission will ensured secret balloting.
On his part, the Deputy Police Commissioner (DPC) in charge of operation Monday Kuryas cautioned politicians and party supporters to avoid act that can impede on the integrity of the election.
He urged the contestants to call their supporters to order, saying that the police will not compromise the success of the bye-election The representative of the PDP Mr.
Sam Abenemi said the party will not accept any result that does not emanate from voters, just as the financial Secretary of Accord Party (AP) Mr. Rabiu Mohammed observed that the complete absence of the APC the ruling party in the state at the stakeholders meeting has raised suspicion on the credibility of the election.