The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed voting materials ahead of Delta House of Assembly by-election (DTHA) for Warri South 1 slated for April 26 in Warri. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Baritor Kpagi, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Monday.
NAN reports that the Speaker Monday Igbuya of DTHA had in March written to INEC in the state declaring the Warri South 1 State Constituency seat vacant following the death and burial of Hon. Beatrice Omawumi Udoh. Udoh, 56, who was representing DTHA in the house died last December in a London hospital.
Kpagi said the distribution of the materials was monitored by the agents of each political party who took part in opening the 15 cartoons. He said the agents took the serial numbers of the materials that were taken to Warri under police escort. Kpagi said the commission could not conduct a free, fair and credible election alone, hence, the presence of the political party agents.
He appealed to all the political parties to play their parts well for the election to be free and fair.
According to him, “it is high time Nigerians began not to expect the presence of security operatives during elections because we are not going to war.”
Mr Alex Ufuoma, a People Democratic Party (PDP) agent said the INEC officials showed the materials to the party agents before they were transported to Warri. Ufuoma said and that there had been no challenges so far. Mr Micheal Tidi, an Accord Party agent, said he was pleased with the development.
The Nation
