Olabode Adaramola
The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC has recruited over 21,000 personnel in its preparation to conduct the forthcoming general election in Niger State.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner In charge of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Yusha’u Garki gave the assurance during an expanded stakeholders meeting in Minna the State Capital.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner said the meeting with the Stakeholders was in continuation of its series of consultation towards a successful election.
Garki stated further that already, 95 percent of non sensitive materials for the conduct of the elections in the state have been moved to some of the local government areas of the state.
“25 Out of the 479 candidates contesting for various elective positions in the state are females representing 5.2 percent”.added the REC
According to Garki, “Niger state presently has about 2 7 Million registered voters out of which 42 .7 percent are females while 57.3 percent are males,afer the Continuous Voter Registration exercise”.
He said the commission was making arrangements to conduct elections in identified Internally Displaced Persons( IDPs) voting centres so that such persons would not be disenfranchised.
He also mentioned that it would not conduct elections in 10 polling units across three 3 local government areas of the State as a result of absence of voters in the units.
He says, “The affected polling units are in Kontagora, Magama and Mashegu local government areas”.
Representatives of The Christains Association Of Nigeria,CAN, Jama’atul Nasril Islam, (JNI) Political parties and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that attended the stakeholders meeting emphasised on peace and security during the conduct of the General election.
The National Youth Service Corp, NYSC Coordinator in the State, Alhaji Mohammed Kaura urged the INEC and security agencies to provide adequate security for corps members that would participate in the election exercise.
Representative of the Commissioner of Police in Niger State Command, CP Ogundele Ayodeji, who pointed out that the command had already dispatched the intelligent teams to various local government areas where the elections would be conducted, reiterated that the command had put in place necessary measures that would ensure that 2023 general election in the state was free and fair.
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