INEC to conduct Borno senatorial bye-election in IDP camps

THE Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Borno State, Mr. Samuel Madaki, has said that everything needed to conduct a free and fair bye-election in Borno Central Senatorial District tomorrow, October 31, 2015, was ready.

Addressing newsmen at INEC’s headquarters in Maiduguri yesterday, Usman said that all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials had already been received, adding that the distribution of such materials had commenced.

He said the election, which covers eight local councils of the state, would mostly be held in Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps within Maiduguri, as six of the local councils are still under security risk.

According to him: “The forthcoming Borno Central Senatorial bye-election would be held at polling booths in Jere and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC); but six local council of Konduga, Bama, Mafa, Dikwa, Ngala, and Kala Balge, will hold their elections at designated IDP camps in Maiduguri metropolis as conducted in April 11, 2015.”

He, however, noted that so far, everything has been put in place and 96 areas have been registered for the election; 152 polling units have been demarcated and 285 voting centres or points have been earmarked and designated for the senatorial bye-election on Saturday.

Madaki, who noted that a total of 8,509 ad-hoc members of staff have been recruited for the exercise apart from the expected monitoring and supervisory officials from INEC and other NGOs who would serve as election observers, said 913,212 eligible voters are expected to cast their votes during the election.

He, therefore, appealed to politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves in an orderly manner during the election and also called on youths to avoid all acts of violence during and after the elections.