The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct fresh elections in 16 polling units.
According to a press statement signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC) for Plateau state, Dr Oliver Agundu and obtained by BusinessDay on Sunday morning indicates that the reschedule election will commence today by 9: 30am
It said that the fresh election followed complaints of ballot paper shortages deployed to some polling units during the Saturday re-run.
The REC, stated that an investigation had been launched by the commission to unravel the cause of the ballot papers shortage in the affected polling units.
“In respect of the reports that were coming in from some poling units that there were shortages of ballot papers in respect of the Federal House of Representatives seat, we did a holistic appraisal of the situation and we have received a comprehensive report on all the poling units and they summed up to 16 of them in total.
“13 are in Tudun-Wada/Kabong Ward, and three are in Naraguta B ward all in Jos North LGA. So, we have decided that we cannot even take it for granted that this is a negligible number compared to over 900 polling units where the elections took place.”
The REC said to resolve the issues amicably, the commission had summoned a meeting of party stakeholders at the INEC headquarters to brief them on the situation.
He however said the situation did not affect the Senatorial re-run.
BusinessDay reported that the re-run election conducted by INEC for Plateau North Senatorial district and Bassa/Jos North federal constituency were marred mainly by voter apathy and ballot papers shortage.
In some of the poling units, some INEC officials were held hostage by angry voters who wanted to cast their ballot but could not due to a shortage of ballot papers.
BusinessDay however gathered that the election was generally peaceful with voters conducting themselves orderly.
