INEC Fully Ready To Conduct February 3rd Bye, Rerun Elections In Kebbi, Says REC

From Ayodele Ajoge, Birnin-Kebbi

 Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in Kebbi State said it has concluded arrangements to conduct Federal Constituencies bye and re-run elections come 3rd Febuary, 2024 to fill the vacuum created as a result of the winner being appointed as Minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 Kebbi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abubakar Dembo Sarkin Pawa, who stated this while briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi said that the bye election would be conducted in Yauri-Shanga-Ngaski federal constituency while the Court Order for the re-run election in 25 polling units would be in Arewa and Dandi Local government areas of the state.

To this effect, the REC revealed that the commission had  received nonsensitive materials and had since distributed them to local officials to ensure early distribution to some difficult to reach areas, pointing out that ad hoc  staff had been trained in order to have a hitch free elections across the affected areas.

The REC stated that the commission had conducted series of meetings with the security agencies responsible for securing the electioneering process and they had strategize on how to conduct a hitch free election besides the meeting with inter party Advisory Council (IPAC) as well as the leadership of the 18 participating political parties during which they were educated on the need to ensure free, fair and credible election. 

While responding to questions on the late arrival of election materials at polling units as obtained in the past, the Commissioner said “We don’t want to envisage that. We don’t even want to listen to statements alleging that there would be late arrival of materials, we hope there will be non late arrival. As I told you earlier we have received all non sensitive materials and they were since  distributed to the affected local government areas.” 

The REC assured political parties of equal treatment during the exercise, revealing that all the BVAS to be used for the election had been configured while results would be transmitted to the Commission’s  Result Viewing Portal (IREV) and warned politicians to always refer to INEC for authentic results before making them public to avoid sociopolitical crisis.