FCT Election : INEC Urges Parties To Adhere To Thursday Campaign Deadline

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has called on the political parties participating in this Saturday’s FCT Area Council Election to keep to the Thursday Campaign deadline.

Addressing the Stakeholders’ Forum on the FCT Area Council Election in Abuja, INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said any political party that violates the campaign deadline would be prosecuted.

Professor Joash Amupitan while appealing to the political parties to act responsibly, avoid vote trading and buying during the election said security agencies have given assurance that anyone caught exchanging and inducing electorates would be arrested and prosecuted.

He appealed to FCT Residents with Permanent Voter Cards not to entertain any fear and come out en mass on Saturday to exercise their franchise.

He disclosed that the commission has accredited Eighty Nine Domestic and international Observers, Seven Hundred Journalists while adequate training had been provided to ad-hoc staff for credible conduct of the polls.

According to the INEC Chairman, the Commission has met with transport union leaders to ensure smooth moving of election materials and personnel to all Registration Area Centers and polling boots starting from Friday.

He said all the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems to be used for the election have been tested while some would be on standby incase of emergency.

The FCT Commissioner of Police CP Miller Dantawaye said all security agencies have been adequately prepared to ensure the safety of lives and property before, during and after the area council polls.

He said the security agencies have identified all black spots while adequate personnel have been mobilized to address any emergency.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Aminu Idris said INEC has performed all the proceses leading to the election.

Mallam Aminu Idris maintained that the INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, the National Commissioner in charge of FCT and top management staff had visited all the Six Area Councils to access the level of preparedness for the election.

Other stakeholders including Inter Party Advisory Council, National Orientation Agency, Civil Society Organizations, and the traditional Institution appealed to INEC to keep to the Constitution and electoral Act in the conduct of the polls.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji