The Benue State Independent Election Commission (BSIEC) has a total of eight political parties participating in the forthcoming local government elections in the state, slated for Saturday, October 5.
The BSIEC said it has also put in place adequate arrangements to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Commission, Barr. Terlumum Tombowua, over the weekend during a media briefing in Makurdi.
He listed the political parties participating in the elections to include: African Action Congress (AAC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Barr Tombowua said the Commission has already carried out verification of candidates for the election on September 12.
He added that the names of candidates who were substituted by political parties were returned to the Commission on September 16th.
Barr. Tombowua said on Tuesday, September 17, the Commission displayed the list of substituted candidates by the political parties, while the main elections have been fixed for October 5th.
He explained that no political party or a faction of any party is being favored by the Commission, as has been speculated in some quarters.
He stressed that he received a letter from the National Secretariat of the APC to work with the caretaker committee led by Benjamin Omale in dealing with the party.
Tombowua said a similar letter was received by the Commission from the national secretariat of the PDP to also work with their caretaker committee in the state and assured that the Commission will conduct free, transparent, and credible elections.
“On our part, we are ready to conduct free, fair, and credible elections. Initially, 14 political parties indicated interest to participate in the election, but in the end, 8 parties are fielding candidates to contest in the election.
“The House of Assembly approved our budget of 6 billion naira, and as for payment, we are getting it as it is coming. We have procured 21 vehicles and made provision for sensitive and non-sensitive materials to enable us to conduct the election.
“We have already started receiving most of the materials we are going to use in the election. We also have other activities which will commence from Saturday, September 21, 2024, to October 5, 2024. We have made arrangements for the training of staff and ad hoc staff beginning from Thursday next week.”
“We have procured parts of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the elections. We have taken delivery of 21 vans for area offices and are awaiting the remaining ones.
“There is nothing that will stop this election, aside from God, because the latest amendment to the Electoral Law has prohibited court interference in any activity leading to this election.
“So whether you go to court, whether you have an injunction or not, it will not stop us from conducting this election, going by the latest Benue State LG amended law.”
“However, we shall not be using Bimodal Verification and Accreditation Machines (BVAN) because the new law did not make provision for that.”
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