Benue REC pledges credible polls

GKS cautions against manipulation
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Benue State, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, has pledged to ensure that the total vote cast tallies with permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the state.During a press conference yesterday in Makurdi, the INEC official said of the 2,480,131 million registered voters, a good number of them were yet to obtain the cards.He assured Nigerians that the commission would conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Yilwatda said the uncollected PVCs would be lodged with the state office of the Central Bank in the capital, promising that non-sensitive materials would be distributed in the glare of political parties and the media.

The REC reiterated move to allow the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state to exercise their civic right.His words: “The International community is concerned about the IDPs. Benue would have more IDPs’ polling units than any state in the country. We will make sure they vote. We will ensure that IDPs vote in dominant polling units.

“We have made adequate security provision in areas that were invaded by Fulani herdsmen like Guma, Gwer West, Agatu, Apa, Logo and Katsina-Ala local government councils. Soldiers will secure these area during the election.”He submitted that the commission had engaged the services of 22,000 ad-hoc staff, stating that for the first time in the history of elections in the country, persons with disabilities would actively participate as ad-hoc workers in three urban areas of Gboko, Makurdi and Otukpo.

The REC said to enhance mobility of non-sensitive materials statewide, INEC had struck partnership with transporters to secure over 800 vehicles and 1,000 motorcycles for effective movement.

Meanwhile, the God’s Kingdom Society (GKS) has cautioned INEC against manipulating the entire electoral process, submitting that God Almighty and history would judge it.The church reminded the electoral agency that as the body charged with administering elections in the country, it should be non-partisan.In a statement by its publicity secretary, Benedict Hart, the church said the commission’s chair, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and his lieutenants “must realise that they have the opportunity of a lifetime to write their names in gold.”