The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, said it has concluded plans to conduct a free and fair House of Assembly by-election for the Ardo Kola state constituency in Taraba on Saturday, January 13.
Supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner for Taraba, Barr. Kassim Gaidam, who is the REC for Adamawa state, told stakeholders at a meeting in Jalingo that all logistics arrangements have been put in place for the conduct of the election.
We are deploying 488 Corps Members as poll officials who will work with our staff deployed for the by-election, exception of our staff from Ardo Kola where the election is taking place.
“I want to call on all relevant stakeholders to work closely with us so that we can beat the Anambra record of peaceful, free and fair election on Saturday,” he said.
Gaidam who said the commission will make use of card readers for accreditation of voters, explained that only voters with permanent voters cards and whose names appeared on the register would participate in the election.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Tafida in a remark expressed the readiness of the police and other security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the election.
State coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, Mrs. Altams Atine, had earlier solicited for maximum security protection for corps members taking part in the election before, during and after the election.
Our correspondent reports that the seat of the member representing Ardo Kola state constituency in the State House of Assembly, became vacant following the death of the member representing the constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Dame in November last year.
Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Abel Diah had on November 20 declared the seat of the lawmaker vacant in line with the provisions of the constitution, following his death.
