8 political parties to participate in Benue LG polls
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Eight political parties have completed formalities to contest in the October 5, 2024 Local Government elections in Benue state.
The Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC, Mr. Richard Tombowua who made this known Thursday in Makurdi said though 14 political parties had earlier indicated interest to participate in the poll, six failed to field candidates.
According to him “14 parties indicated interest to contest in the election but only eight parties have fielded candidates for the October 5, 2024 election. The parties include the African Action Congress, AAC, All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Labour Party, LP, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Social Democratic Party, SDP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.
“Already our budget has been approved and we are receiving funds as they come. So far we have procured 21 vehicles and more are still coming. We have also awarded contract for the production of sensitive and non sensitive materials to be used for the elections.
“We have also commenced the recruitment of adhoc staff and arrangement for their training which will commence next Thursday is in top gear.
“So I want to assure that election will be held at the 5,102 Polling Units in the 276 Council Wards and 23 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state.”
The Chairman also clarified that the results of the Councilorship election will announced at the Council Wards, while those of the Chairmen would be declared at the Local Government Headquarters.
He pointed out that BVAS would not be used in the conduct of the election “since the BSIEC and the Benue Electoral Law did not make provisions for the use of BVAS.”
He also allayed the fears of the people over a purported plot by supposed aggrieved individuals to truncate the electoral process through the courts saying “there is nothing that will stop the election, aside from God because the latest amendment to the Electoral Law has prohibited Court interference from any activity leading to the election.
“So whether you go to court, you have an injunction or not it will not stop us from conducting the election going by the latest Benue State Local Government Amended Law.”
The Chairman who also debunked claims that some members of the Commission were card carrying members of political parties said, “it is said that every man is a political animal but the fact is that we are not card carrying members of any party, if any of us belonged to parties we long resigned from the parties before our appointment.
“So we are not members of political parties. As a Commission we owe it a duty to conduct a free, fair and credible Local Government election on October 5, 2024.”
Mr. Tombowua assured that the Commission was collaborating with security agencies to ensure adequate security across the state during the electioneering period.
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