Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed 25th of January, 2020 for the supplementary election for Ohiminin constituency of the Benue State House of Assembly.
The Returning Officer of Ohimini State constituency election had cancelled two polling units due to over-voting. The returning officer had returned Christopher Adaji in election held on the 9th of March, 2019 with a total vote of 6,522 when the total number from the two cancelled units were 1, 056.
In an Appeal Court judgment in Makurdi on the 8th of November, 2019 which ordered supplementary election in the two cancelled registration areas and polling units based on the principle of margin of lead in Agadagba and Onyagede Icho polling units with a margin lead of 397 votes, was to determine the final outcome of the election.
The Benue State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Nentawe Yiltwada, briefing newsmen on the expectations of supplementary election fixed for 25th of this month, said a total number of 16 candidates representing various parties will be participating in the forthcoming election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner explained that only the political parties which participated in the 9th of March, 2019 election will participate as the result of the various candidates obtained in the previous election will be brought forward and added to the votes they will receive in the supplementary election.
Recall that the results of 9th March 2019 Ohiminin State constituency election as presented had Christopher Adaji of PDP with 6, 522 votes which has the highest votes cast and was followed by Musa Alechenu of the APC with 6,125 votes and Sunday Mark of APGA with 2, 138 votes.
The REC explained that on the 24th of January, movement of materials will be done until the completeness of sensitive materials and will be escorted by armed policemen to Ohiminin LGA INEC office after party agents of party political parties and observers including the press must have inspected the materials.
Yiltwada, the REC, warned against vote-buying, stating that camera and phone camera will not be allowed within the voting cubicle. He maintained that the vulnerable group will be allowed to vote before other voters as the polling unit have been made convenient for them.
Meanwhile, the state police commissioner, Garba Mukkadas, also hinted that adequate policemen will be deployed to the polling units, assuring that only those with PVC will be allowed to vote.
