By-Election: Soldiers Barricade INEC Headquarters In Jos

To ensure maximum security following recent unrest in the state, soldiers barricaded the entrance to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, on Saturday morning.

Naija News reports that Plateau is one of the 26 states where a bye-election is held in the country today.

According to The PUNCH, there was a heavy presence of troops outside the INEC building on Saturday morning.

Armed soldiers were reportedly stationed to block the gates.

Recall that INEC commenced the distribution of sensitive and insensitive electoral materials in the six Local Government Areas of the state Plateau state on Thursday at the Central Bank of Nigeria premises in Jos.

The allocation took place with the attendance of political party delegates, monitors, reporters, and security staff.

Moreover, the process of accreditation and voting has begun for the State Constituency 2 run-off election in the Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.

By-Elections: Kaduna PDP Alerts INEC, Security Agencies Over Alleged Plans To Rig Rerun Elections

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Felix Hassan Hyat, has warned of the APC’s purported plans to engage in undemocratic activities to rig rerun elections across seven local government areas.

The by-elections are scheduled to take place in Kaduna South, Chikun, Kauru, Igabi, Kudan, Kachia, and Kagarko local government areas.

A statement released by Edward John Auta, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the chairman, read: “The party is worried that the APC is determined to collude with some corrupt officials of INEC and the security agencies, yet again, to subvert the will of the people and declare the APC candidates as winners of the respective elections at all costs in all of the areas election is holding.”

The statement asserted that the PDP had received credible information indicating that the APC had finalized arrangements to purchase votes or employ thugs to incite violence if attempts at vote-buying were unsuccessful.

He said, “We have confidence in the resolve of the new Resident Electoral Commissioner to organise a credible election and redeem the image of INEC.

“However, we have uncovered from insider sources that the APC is working with some corrupt INEC staff to obtain fake copies of Forms EC8A, which will be used to concoct and enter predetermined polling unit results which will be swapped with the genuine ones in areas where the APC fails to win or is not comfortable with the margin of lead, while the security agencies provide them with the necessary cover.”

The statement alleged that in Makera, Igabi, and Kauru, the ousted speaker, along with certain senior government officials, were aggressively attempting to deprive the populace of their voting rights once more.

It called upon the commissioner of police and other pertinent heads of security agencies tasked with the election to take heed and instruct all their personnel to act professionally, with patriotism, and impartiality.