The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has distributed sensitive electoral materials to the 34 polling units in Cross River State, southern Nigeria ahead of Saturday’s re-run election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Cross River State, Professor Gabriel Yomere flagged off the distribution of the materials after inspection by representatives of the contesting political parties and the State executive of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
In a brief remark, Professor Yomere stressed that the commission was conducting the distribution process transparently for stakeholders to inspect and witness the exercise and allay suspicion of irregularities.
Yomere urged the political party representatives to enlighten their members and supporters of the importance of adhering strictly to directives and eschewing violence so as not to disrupt the re-run election, which will be held across 4 local government areas in the southern and northern senatorial districts.
He noted that the commission would not deploy ad hoc staff for the re-run like it did during the 2023 general elections, stating, “This is a small election. Let us use our staff. We do not want to use people, who are not our staff for this election. As I said, it is holding in 34 polling units across four local government areas.
“Following the court order, the commission is conducting the re-run election in Akamkpa-Biase Federal Constituency as well as Obanliku and Yala 2 State Constituencies. So, I will urge the political parties to appeal to their members to tow the path of peace. We want to stress here that only registered electorates would be allowed to vote.
“The election is for specific polling units, and not the entire local government areas. So, if you are not in that polling unit, please do not go there for anything. Also, those registered voters, who could not cast their votes at the last election, would be allowed to vote. Other than that the commission would not condone any form of violence,” the REC cautioned.
Security
Similarly, the Vice Chairman of IPAC, who is also the Labour Party State Chairman, Ogar Osim and the Organizing Secretary and State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Ekpenyong Ambo expressed satisfaction with INEC for handling the process of distribution transparently.
Osim said, “I witnessed the process of displaying sensitive materials for the election and the process was transparent. This election has generated a lot of interest, but there is no need for trouble. It should be peaceful. All the political parties are together for peaceful conduct of the election.
“To further ensure peace, IPAC has constituted a monitoring team to work with INEC to ensure that everything is in check. As chairmen, we have spoken to our people to be peaceful and informed security operatives to deal decisively with anybody bent on making the process violent,” he stated.
Ambo said, “IPAC has monitoring teams deployed to areas where the election would be held because at the end of the exercise, we would publish our report on the conduct of this re-run election in Cross River. The report would go as far as giving the election credibility, but we believe that this election will be peaceful.”
The election materials were dispatched to 8 polling units in Akamkpa, 11 in Biase, 2 in Obanliku and 13 in Yala II State Constituency of Yala local government areas respectively.
VON