BusinessDay... the voice of business: INEC to use military for Kogi  by-election

INEC to use military for Kogi  by-election
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Tunji OLAWUNI on 27 March, 2008 12:00:00
 
National commissioner for Information Phillip Umeadi told newsmen at the
party’s headquarters in Abuja that all registered voters including those who
registered after the conduct of last year’s poll would be eligible to vote
tomorrow.
He also disclosed that there was no court injunction restraining the commission
from conducting the bi-election even though he admitted there were on-going
litigations in various courts, saying “unless there is a compelling superior
ruling, the judgment of the Appeal court subsists”.
Umeadi said ballot papers for tomorrow’s re-run election were received two
days ago and that the ballot papers would be dispatched yesterday and would only
be opened in the presence of the agents of all the political parties in Kogi.
He debunked allegations that ballot papers had been thumbed-printed and stored
in houses of some of the aspirants in tomorrow’s polls saying “I want to
state unequivocally that this is not true”.
Umeadi explained that security had been beefed up and that aside the full
complement of the police, the military would be used to beef up security and
noted that the security on ground would also monitor the activities of INEC
officials.
He said: “Our chairman had briefed the staff that will be on duty that they
must not take orders from anyone including himself (Maurice Iwu) but to follow
to the letters provisions of the law in carrying out their duties.”
Umeadu said “that we are starting conduct of bi-election in Kogi is not by
accident. It is better to start from the most difficult state to the least
difficult. We shall be transparent and open. Observers and the media will be
there to monitor the election.
Therefore, INEC has nothing to hide”. He said all the Federal commissioners
of the commission assisted by resident electoral commissioners would monitor the
poll and assured that INEC will a thorough job.