INEC considers Nov.16 for Kogi West Senate election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will explore the possibility of using the Nov.16 governorship election to conduct a fresh election for the Kogi West Senatorial district.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara States, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in Lokoja on Friday.

Fielding questions from newsmen on the Court Appeal judgment nullifying the election of Sen. Dino Melaye, Haruna said that since the governorship election was still 34 days away, there was possibility for the election to hold same day.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the election of PDP’s Melaye and ordered INEC to conduct fresh election within 90 days of its judgment.

The judgment was on the petition filed by Sen Smart Adeyemi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 26 election.

The INEC national commissioner was in Lokoja for a workshop on fake news organised for media executives, journalists and bloggers by the International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES) in collaboration with INEC.

Haruna told the participants to be wary of fake news and its implications, saying that unverified news should not be allowed space.

He also enjoined them to support INEC to institute credible electoral process in the country.

On concern in some quarters on the possible manipulation of the card reading machine by unscrupulous politicians, the national commissioner dismissed it as “practically impossible’’.

He also assured that the commission would allow a level playing ground for all candidates in the election, but appealed to them to play the game according to rules.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Adeiza Jimoh, assured that journalists would be professional in the discharge of their duties before, during and after the election.

He commended the IFES and INEC for organising the refresher for his members, saying that the workshop is timely.