INEC assures stakeholders on Lokoja/Kogi by-election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday assured stakeholders of its readiness to conduct the Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency without fear and favour.

This is just as participating political parties finalised their primary elections to choose their candidates for the poll as the deadline given by the commission lapsed.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) elected Zacheaus Jonathan as its candidate, while the immediate past speaker of the Kogi state house of assembly, Ahmed Umar, emerged as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

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However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kogi state, Prof James Apam, at a stakeholders meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Lokoja, the state capital, said the by-election would be free and fair.

According to him, the commission was ready to improve on the achievements already recorded in election organisation.

He, however, solicited the support of the stakeholders to make the election a success.

However, the ADC candidate for the election emerged through an affirmation by delegates at the party’s primaries held in Lokoja yesterday.

Returning Officer for the primaries, Zainab Usman said a total of 111 delegates from Lokoja and Kogi local government areas took part in the exercise.

Speaking after his election, Jonathan lauded the peaceful conduct of the primaries and promised not to let the people down if eventually given the mandate to serve the people in the forthcoming election.

He pledges to ensure effective representation and attraction of the needed social amenities and infrastructural development to his constituency.