Sokoto Rerun: INEC partners EFCC, other agencies for transparent election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed its readiness to partner the state security agencies, anti-graft agencies and other stakeholders in conducting free and fair elections in the state.

The commission disclosed that the two anti-corruption agencies would be actively involved in the conduct of rerun and supplementary elections in Sokoto state.

The elections which include those for the two-state house of Assembly and two federal constituencies were billed for 25th, January 2020.

The Sokoto state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Malam Sadiq Abubakar disclosed this on Thursday during a stakeholders forum meeting.

He disclosed that their resolve to involve the two anti-corruption agencies, EFCC and ICPC among other security agencies, saying it was to ensure credible and most transparent rerun elections in the state.

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According to him, the Commission would henceforth, involve the two agencies in all its activities till eternity.

Sadiq assured the people of the state that they would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the success of the elections.

In his remarks, the representative of EFCC, Barrister Uchenna Edeh warned stakeholder in election process against compromising which he said would amount to the criminal offence.

“Our presence will not only be seen but felt as we will monitor all the election processes. We will ensure votes are collated and announced at the appropriate time and place,” he said

Speaking on behalf of security agencies, the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Kaoje said no less than 10 security personnel would man each of the affected polling units.

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Meanwhile, the head of the department, Election and Party monitoring for INEC, Malam Mukhtar Ibrahim, disclosed that not less than 39 political parties will participate in the process.

He called on the participant political parties to submit the list of their party agents latest by seven days before the election day.

The Administrative Secretary of the Commission, Muhammad Sani Muhammad, also in his remarks, appealed to the NYSC coordinator to allow Corp members to participate in the election, having to get security assurance from the security agencies.

Other speakers at the meeting include representatives of political parties as well as other stakeholders.