- REC said security agencies have met to strategise on protecting election personnel and materials during and after the Kogi poll.
- INEC deployed all non-sensitive election materials to Dekina-Okura ahead of by-election, with sensitive materials expected by Thursday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that five political parties will participate in Saturday’s by-election for the Dekina-Okura state constituency of Kogi State.
The election follows the death of former deputy speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Enema Paul, on December 14, 2024.
Resident electoral commissioner for Kogi State, Oliver Agundu, disclosed this in Lokoja on Wednesday.
Agundu, represented by INEC’s education officer, Haruna Haliru, said the commission had completed preparations for the poll.
He explained that a meeting of the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security had been held to strategise on protecting personnel and materials.
The REC stated that all non-sensitive materials had been moved to the local government, while sensitive items were expected to arrive by Thursday.
“Training for supervisory presiding officers, who are mostly INEC staff, has been completed, along with the training for presiding officers and assistant presiding officers in Anyigba from August 8 to 10,” he said.
“All non-sensitive materials have been deployed to the local government and we are only waiting for the arrival of the sensitive materials on Wednesday or Thursday,” he added.
The REC assured stakeholders of a free, fair and credible election.
He urged registered voters to turn out in large numbers, maintain order and vote for candidates of their choice.
The five participating parties are the Accord Party, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, and Peoples Democratic Party.