From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Benue State, Prof Samuel Egwu, has said there will be no voting in 10 Polling Units in the state.
Prof. Egwu who made this disclosure while briefing newsmen in his office in Makurdi, Tuesday said the Polling units are spread across Buruku, Gboko, Kwande, Makurdi and Okpoku Local Government Areas.
He further explained that the elections will not hold in the said polling units were newly created and registered voters do not exist there.
According to him, the 2023 governorship and State Assembly elections in 32 constituencies will hold across the 23 Local Government Areas in 276 Registration Areas and 5, 092 Polling Units involving 2,777,727 registered voters.
He however appealed to Benue residents to support the commission to conduct a credible and peaceful election come Saturday, March 18.
Egwu, who apologized to Nigerians for the inability of INEC to upload and transmit results of the February 25 elections in real time, promised that the Commission will draw lessons from the presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25 elections in conducting the governorship and State Assembly elections.
As it has become part of the INEC process of building integrity and transparency into the country’s electoral process, the ballot papers and result sheets for the March 18 elections have long been delivered to the Central Bank in Makurdi and kept in the strong room where currencies are kept.
“Neither myself nor the Branch Controller can have free access to these sensitive materials because access to them is based on time-honoured strict procedures of the apex bank.
“We have informed the political parties and the Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC), to inspect these materials at the Central Bank premises on Wednesday before they are moved to our 23 LGA offices under security escort and protection.
“INEC will deploy BVAs for the election as was the case in the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25.
He also promised that INEC will provide a level playing ground to ensure that popular candidates freely chosen by the people of Benue will emerge as governors and members of the Benue State House of Assembly.
He said since the last election, INEC has carried out mandatory refresher training for the Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and Collation Officers (COs) to ensure a more efficient electoral operation on March 18.
While noting that they have enjoyed a robust relationship with the members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Benue State. Egwu appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters, agents and the citizenry to support INEC by conducting themselves in a calm and civil manner for a free, fair and peaceful election on Saturday.