The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will not hesitate to cancel any results declared under duress during the coming governorship election in Kogi State.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Gabriel Longpet stated this while speaking at a media workshop/roundtable organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Abuja on the coming November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
Longpet, who recalled how a local government Chairman in the state pulled out a gun to force an INEC official to declare results under duress during the last general election vowed that this type of incident will not be allowed to stand in the coming election.
He said the 2022 Electoral Act as amended gives the INEC the power to review election results of election, saying that the commission will invoke the power where necessary during the coming election.
Longpet, said some infractions and lapses recorded in the state during the last general election will not be allowed to stand in the November 11 governorship election.
The REC therefore advised candidates contesting the November 11, 2023 governorship election to make the election a battle of ballots and not battle of guns.
The REC restated the resolve of the commission to conduct free , fair and credible election on November 11 said there was need for candidates and parties to adopt a new attitude towards elections in Kogi State.
Longpet urged them to shelve the idea of using violence, intimidation and harassment to win elections.
Longpet also called on candidates and parties to educate their members and followers on voting procedures, proper casting of ballot, especially thumb printing techniques to reduce the number of void votes.
He said that attempt to create more polling units in Ganaja area of Lokoja was resisted by residents, saying the plan to create more polling in the area was to decongest the polling unit at Ganaja Primary School.
Longpet said the commission can no longer allow over 11,000 voters to be at Ganaja Primary School, adding that 10 new voting points have been created around the polling unit.
He said the commission, using alphabetical order has successfully migrated 1,000 voters to each of the newly created polling points to ease congestion at the school.
Longpet, however, said the number of polling units in the state remain 3,508, saying training and re-training of staff that will conduct the election will start soon.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
