The Independent National Electoral Election (INEC) has assured voters of adequate security and a credible re-run election into the Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa Federal Constituency in Katsina State on February 3.

Its resident electoral commissioner in the state, Yahaya Makarfi, gave the assurance at a stakeholders meeting on Thursday in Katsina.

He said the meeting was to brief stakeholders on preparations for the election.

Mr Makarfi recalled that the Court of Appeal ordered fresh elections in 20 polling units across two registration areas in the Faskari and Kankara local government areas.

“There are four polling units where election will hold in Daudawa registration area of Faskari Local Government Area,” said the INEC official.

He added, “Election will hold in 16 polling units in Garagi registration area of Kankara Local Government Area.’’

Mr Makarfi said the number of registered voters in all the affected polling units was 10,659, while the number of permanent voter cards collected was 10,652.

He called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure the conduct of hitch-free elections, stressing that adequate security measures would be put in place to forestall any breach of the law.

Mr Makarfi also warned politicians against vote-buying, which he described as a criminal offence.

He warned that security agents would not hesitate to arrest anyone found wanting.

Addressing the meeting, the assistant commissioner of police in Katsina State, Halilu Aliyu, who represented the commissioner, Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, assured of adequate deployment of police officers for the exercise.

Mr Aliyu said movement of people and vehicles would be restricted within the affected areas.

He also warned against thuggery and tampering with the provisions of the election guidelines, saying that erring officials or politicians would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

(NAN)