From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) has said that it was ready for the conduct of the local government council polls billed for Saturday, this week.

This is even as the Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, has assured that enough security would be provided to ensure peace and protection of lives and property during the election.

Chairman of BSIEC, Dr. John Tswua, while addressing newsmen, on Tuesday, ahead of the council polls, said eight parties that scaled through the screening process have been validated and would be participating in the election.

Tswua listed the successful parties to include the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party (AC), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) as well as CPC, NNPP and CPD.

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He disclosed that only the APC fielded candidates for all positions in all the 23 local government areas of the state, while the PDP only fielded candidates for the chairmanship position in six local government areas and AC in only one local government area.

Tswua revealed further that 11,400 ad hoc staff have been engaged and undergoing training to assist in the conduct of the election in the 2691 polling units in the state adding that both accreditation and actual voting would run concurrently on the day of the election.

While noting that non sensitive materials for the elections had been moved to the various local government headquarters for onward distribution to the various wards and polling units, the BSIEC boss said the sensitive materials would be moved to the local government areas on Friday.

Tswua who explained that the list of the PDP from the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction had been recognised for the election denied knowledge of any court injunction by the Makarfi led faction of the PDP to stop the conduct of the election.

Meanwhile, the state Police Boss has disclosed that at least two policemen and other security agencies in the state would be posted to each polling unit, collation centres and the BSIEC office on the day of the election and urged all contestants and voters to be law abiding to ensure a free, fair and credible election.