INEC Set for Supplementary Election in Niger

* To use only INEC staff

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State has said that it is set for Saturday’s supplementary election in four local government areas of the state where the March 25 exercise was declared inconclusive.

The election will be conducted in Agaie, Agwara, Rafi and Rijau LGAs.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Yushau Garki, said in Minna Thursday that only INEC staff will be deployed for the conduct of the polls.

“We are deploying 85 INEC staff for this exercise,” Garki said, adding that in the four LGs, the election would hold in 11 registration areas’ (RAs) at 15 polling units.

Garki, who briefed stakeholders on the preparation for the election, said that the training of 15 collation officers that will handle the exercise, was already in progress, while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAs) machines to be used have been configured.

The movement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, as well as the staff, will be done simultaneously same day since the areas where the election will take place are not many, Garki said.

He solicited for the cooperation of candidates, their political parties and voters to make the election hitch-free.

The REC appreciated the public for their orderly conduct during the March 25 governorship and House of Assembly elections, noting that the state was one of the most peaceful in the country during and after the election.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ogundele Oyedeji, represented by the ACP in charge of operation, Alhaji Mu’azu Muhammad, said the police will provide “water tight security during and after the election”.