Lagos East by-elections: INEC dispatches sensitive materials to LGAs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State said it has received and dispatched sensitive materials for Saturday’s Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe Constituency II House of Assembly by-elections to the affected council areas.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the materials were received and dispatched in the full glare of the political parties’ representatives and security agencies to ensure transparency.

“We have received and sent the various sensitive materials for the by-elections to the five local government areas where the elections will hold.

“These materials were collected in the presence of political parties and security agents. The relevant people were there to witness the collection and distribution. We don’t only want to be transparent, we want to be seen to be transparent.

“These various materials have been moved to the five local government areas where they will be shared into various registration areas in the presence of party agents,” the INEC boss told NAN.

Mr Olumekun said INEC was not leaving any stone unturned in its preparations to conduct free, fair, credible and acceptable by-elections on Saturday in Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe State Constituency II.

According to him, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the election will be deployed from wards to each of the 1,928 polling units located in the five component LGAs in the senatorial district.

Mr Olumekun urged the eligible voters to come out en mass to exercise their franchise on Saturday in a peaceful and orderly manner.

He said INEC was poised to conduct elections that everyone, including participating political parties, would be proud of.

According to him, INEC, in collaboration with security agencies, had made adequate arrangements for the smooth and safe conduct of the election.

The five local government areas that make up the Lagos East Senatorial District are Somolu, Kosofe, Ikorodu, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.

Candidates from 12 political parties will be contesting in the Lagos East Senatorial by-election, while eight candidates will be contesting the Kosofe Constituency II, Lagos State House of Assembly by-election.

The two by-elections, slated for Saturday, became necessary following the demise of the former occupants who were members of APC.

(NAN)