The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission has rescheduled the state local councils poll from May 7 to April 30.

The chairman of the commission, Tersoo Loko, said this during a press briefing on Monday in Makurdi.

Mr Loko said that elections would be held in all the 23 local government councils on April 30.

“The new date for the election became necessary in order to avoid the clash with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) general election timetable.

“This is in line with Section 95 of Benue State Electoral (Amendment) Law 2012, which has given the commission the powers to abridge its timetable,” he said.

Mr Loko urged political parties featuring in the election to submit the names of their polling agents to the commission on or before April 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while campaigns would end by midnight of April 28.

He said that the results of the election would be published on May 3, while re-run (if any) would be held on May 5.

The chairman who apologised for inconveniences the change might cause the electorate, said the certificate of return would be issued to winners on May 5.

(NAN)