The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has completed all arrangements to conduct all by-elections in Kano.

The INEC resident electoral commissioner in Kano, Abdu Zango, said this while addressing stakeholders at its state headquarters in Kano on Tuesday.

He said the by-elections, slated for February 3, would be held in three state constituencies, Kunchi/Tsanyawa, Kura/Garun Malam and Rimin Gado/Tofa, in six local government areas.

“We are fully ready for the bye-elections with our trained electoral personnel ready to conduct transparent and credible elections for the conduct of elections in six local government areas. 

“We are conducting elections in 66 polling units across the six local government areas. Any person without a permanent voter’s card will not participate in the by-election,” he said.

He said that INEC had already deployed sensitive and non-sensitive materials to all the affected local government areas.

Mr Zango explained that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) would be used during the election reruns to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.

He expressed confidence that the bye-elections would be successful.

The REC also commended the police’s effort in providing security before and during the by-elections.

Police commissioner Hussaini Gumel said the command had already implemented security measures to ensure the smooth implementation of all electoral processes in the affected local government areas.

Mr Gumel said the police would be visible in all the polling units to enable eligible residents in the six local government areas to participate in the exercise without threat to lives and property.

He warned leaders of political parties that would be participating in the election to urge their supporters to shun violence, ballot snatching and thuggery during the exercise.

“Police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any person or group of persons found disrupting the peaceful political atmosphere the state is known for,” he said.

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on September 30, ordered the rerun for the state assembly in the six local government areas. 

(NAN)