Banditry won’t stop Niger LG election – NSIEC Chairman
Story by Susan Mbamah
The Chairman of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), Jibril Imam, has assured residents that ongoing bandit attacks in some parts of the state will not stop the local government election scheduled for November 1.
Imam gave the assurance on Thursday in Minna while distributing sensitive election materials. He said the commission had made special arrangements, including providing boats and other logistics, to ensure election materials reach riverine and hard-to-access communities.
Some communities in Niger State, including Alawa, have faced repeated bandit attacks, forcing many residents to relocate to internally displaced persons’ camps. Despite this, Imam insisted that no eligible voter would be left out.
READ ALSO: Banditry: How viable is Katsina state’s systematic peace accord?, by Prof M. K. Othman
“To avoid any challenges, we are moving sensitive materials early, while non-sensitive materials have already been delivered to the 25 LG areas,” he said. “Nobody in areas affected by banditry will be disenfranchised.”
The NSIEC chairman also announced that 5,249 ad-hoc personnel have been deployed to serve as supervisors, polling clerks, and returning officers across 4,950 polling units, 274 wards, and all 25 local government areas.
He added that the commission followed all legal procedures and had not received any complaints from political parties, security agencies, or election observers. Imam urged politicians and parties to obey the peace accord they signed and promised a fair and transparent election.
READ ALSO: Banditry in the Northwest: A call for political will and urgent action, by Hassan Ahmad
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