ENUGU NORTH SENATORIAL BYE-ELECTION: INEC DECLARES 87 PERCENT READINESS AHEAD OF SATURDAY POLL

Reporter: Chinwe Mamah

All is now set for Saturday’s Senatorial By-Election in the Enugu North Senatorial Zone, with seven political parties officially cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to participate in the poll across the six Local Government Areas of the zone.

The political parties are: the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Africa Democratic Congress, ADC, the Boot Party, BP, the Labour Party, LP, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP.

Reports from INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, indicate that the Commission has achieved over eighty-seven percent preparedness ahead of the exercise.

According to him, non-sensitive election materials have been sorted and successfully distributed to all six Local Government Areas in the Enugu North Senatorial District. He added that all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, devices have been fully configured and charged for smooth deployment during the election.

Also speaking on preparations, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, assured residents of adequate security arrangements for the exercise.

He stated that the Police would provide round-the-clock security at Registration Area Centres, RACs, INEC offices, collation centres, and polling units to guarantee the safety of voters, election materials, and personnel throughout the process.

Awareness and voter sensitization for the election have been noticeably higher compared to previous by-elections, with intensive campaigns, town hall meetings, and radio jingles conducted across the zone.

With BVAS devices fully configured, election materials already deployed, security arrangements in place, and expectations of massive voter turnout, hopes are high for a peaceful, credible, and transparent electoral process.

Meanwhile, INEC has called on all stakeholders, eligible voters, and political parties to cooperate and ensure the conduct of a free, fair, and peaceful election.

Correspondent Chinwe Mamah reports that Saturday’s Senatorial By-Election is being held to fill the vacant seat in the Senate following the death of Senator Okey Ezea, who represented Enugu North Senatorial Zone under Labour Party.

MAMAH