The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled the governorship and House of Assembly elections for Kwande local government of Benue State on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
The election for the local government could not hold on Saturday scheduled due to mix up of some of the sensitive materials for the two State Assembly constituencies in the area (Kwande East and Kwande West).
Festus Okoye INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday.
Okoye said the new date was arrived at following the advice of Sam Egwu, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue that the commission’s state office is ready to proceed with the elections.
“The public may recall that the Governorship and State Assembly elections in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State scheduled for Saturday March 18, 2023 had to be suspended.
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“This decision followed an inadvertent mix up of some of the sensitive materials for the two State Assembly constituencies in the area i.e. Kwande East and Kwande West.
“For this reason, voters and stakeholders agreed that the elections should be rescheduled. Consequently, the Commission issued a statement that a new date will be announced for the elections.
“After further consultation with stakeholders, our Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State, Professor Sam Egwu, has advised that the State office is ready to proceed with the rescheduled elections.
“Accordingly, the Commission approved that the elections shall hold tomorrow Tuesday 21st March 2023.
“The Commission appeals to voters in Kwande Local Government Area to troop out en masse and vote for the candidate of their choice. Similarly, we call on parties and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is leading in the results from the 20 local government areas so far declared.
According to the results, the APC’s Alia is leading with 450,610 votes and is being trailed behind by Titus Uba, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate with 209,374 while margin of lead stood at 241,236
Benue has 23 local government areas, out of which 20 has been declared and two are left while election in one, Kwande has been rescheduled Tuesday.
