Benue: INEC ready to conduct credible, free, fair, transparent election

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC says it is not prepared for electronic mode of voting even though the law now allows for it, but will only accredit voters electronically during the forthcoming general elections.

Benue Resident Electoral Commissioner Sam Egwu made this known at a stakeholders meeting in Makurdi, He futher explained that the bimodal verification and accreditation machine is not a voting machine.

Sam Egwu confirmed that a total of 2.7 million voters in the state are expected to participate in the exercise.

It is just a few days to the general election, critical stakeholders comprising traditional and religious leaders, CSOs, party candidates, and their leaders as well as opinion leaders have converge here in Makurdi, at the instance of the independent national electoral commission.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner sets the tone for deliberations by revealing statistics of registered voters, and also disclosed the number of polling units without registered voters.

He also talked about what is expected from the political actors and voters during the exercise.

The Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom commended the the engagement between INEC and relevant stakeholders in the political space, and pledged his commitment to ensure a peaceful process.

Again Governor Ortom used the platform to speak on the scarcity of the redesigned naira notes insisting that it is the worst policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

According to the electoral umpire 10 polling units in five local government areas of the state are without registered voters, but so far, the Commission says it is ready to conduct a credible, free, fair and transparent election.