INEC promises free, fair, credible by-election in Kwara

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kwara state, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami has assured the people of Patigi Local Government Area that the commission would conduct free, fair and acceptable by-election into the vacant seat in the state assembly.

The resident electoral commissioner made this known on Friday in Patigi, when he led a team of heads of department of the commission in the state to the Etsu of Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Bologi II.

Attahiru-Madami therefore, called for the cooperation of stakeholders in the area toward the conduct of a peaceful and credible by-election on March 14.

At the Palace of Etsu Patigi, the electoral commissioner urged the traditional ruler to appeal to his subjects to allow the will of God to prevail in the poll and restated INEC’s readiness to conduct a credible poll.

He added that non-sensitive and sensitive materials would be distributed early to the registration area council to avoid delay on Election Day, promising that officials who can speak local dialects would be evenly deployed to all polling units to ensure smooth communication with voters.

“We are here to tell you that we have a by-election here to fill the vacuum left by Ahmed Rufai representing Patigi Constituency in Kwarastate House of Assembly.

“I therefore, call on your majesty to prevail on your people in the local government to cooperate with electoral officials and shun any act of violence before, during and after the election.

“I am here to ask for your support, talk to your peopleand talk to the youth. Election is not war, election is not violence; you can’t get anything in killing yourselves because of power.

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“I want to plead with you, to seek your indulgence to talk to everybody. You have district leaders and youth leaders, you can call them. Last year, there was no fight; there should be no fight during the coming by-election. Let us have a peaceful election in Patigi.

“I promise everybody, even before 2019 that I will give the political parties level playing ground. Everybody will be given equal opportunity during the by-election. I will be neutral; it is the peoples’ choice that will count,” Attahiru-Madami said.

The Etsu Patigi, Ibrahim Bologi II, assured the resident electoral commissioner of the people’s readiness to have a conflict free electoral process.