Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is prepared to conduct the appeal court ordered rerun elections in Enugu State on February 3.
The INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu during a stakeholders meeting in Enugu in preparation for the rerun elections.
It would be recalled that the Appeal Court had ordered a rerun of elections in Udenu/Igbo-eze North Federal Constituency and Enugu South Urban State Constituency in Enugu State.
Chukwu explained that both constituency elections would be conducted in 25 Registration Areas, which amount to 173 polling units in the state.
He said that for Enugu South Urban State Constituency (in Enugu South council area), there would be a rerun election in eight polling units having some discrepancies as ordered by the court.
According to him, for Udenu/Igbo-eze North Federal Constituency, which is made up of two council areas – Udenu and Igbo-eze North, elections will be conducted in 55 polling units in Udenu council and 110 polling units in Igbo-eze North council.
“Working under the order of the court, which specified 90 days for conduct of the rerun elections, the commission has fixed February 3, 2024, for the rerun elections.
“We are prepared and have made necessary arrangements for hitch-free and inclusive rerun elections that is the essence of this important stakeholders meeting.
“Presently, we have non-sensitive materials in INEC offices in the various council areas involved in the rerun elections.
“The stakeholders will be carried along to unveil and monitor the sensitive materials as they arrive a few hours toward the Election Day proper through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Enugu branch,” he said.
The REC noted that all political parties that took part in the initial election would be participating in the rerun elections, adding that the commission expected maximum cooperation from the political parties for a successful exercise.
Chukwu said: “INEC is poised to conduct free, fair, credible and transplant rerun elections.
“Personally, I am also assuring stakeholders of keeping to the timing scheduled of 8a.m. start of the election; and other modalities and arrangement will also be intact.”
The stakeholders that spoke during the meeting pledged to assist and cooperate with INEC officials for peaceful and rancour-free rerun elections in the respective council areas.
