From Ahmad SAKA,Bauchi
The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has pledged to conduct free and fair Local Government elections, scheduled for August 17, 2024.
Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Ahmad Makama said this when he briefed Journalists on the preparations so far made for the conduct of the elections.
at the Commission’s headquarters in Bauchi He said the electoral body is committed to upholding the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in the election.
Makama explained the Commission’s comprehensive preparations, including voter registration and verification exercises, distribution of electoral materials, training of ad-hoc staff and security personnel, and establishment of electoral committees.
Chairman said that the Commission will conduct a free, fair and acceptable elections that will be worthy of emulation by all across the country considering the preparedness of the Commission.
He said that the Commission has met with security agencies and established an Electoral Security Committee which will oversee the smooth conduct of the elections.
Makama said that the Commission has been engaging all political stakeholders to ensure that nobody is left behind in the preparation and eventual conduct of the elections, and corrected what he described as erroneous, the impression that the Commission will not be fair to the political parties other than the PDP which is in power in the state saying that, “The Commission will remain an unbiased umpire throughout the process, we will be fair and just to all the participants.”
He said that the Commission will rely on the voters register from INEC but said that BVAS card readers will not be used because according to him, state governments are not buoyant enough to procure the machines but hope that with time it will be done and appealed to all the stakeholders to play the roles expected of them to ensure that the elections succeded just as he urged youths to eschew violence by not allowing themselves to be used to disrupt the electoral processes.
The Chairman appealed to eligible voters to exercise their franchise en masse, stressing the significance of their participation in shaping the future of local governance. He emphasized that every vote counts and encouraged citizens to make their voices heard.
He said the electoral body is in the process of recruiting not fewer than 16,000 ad-hoc staff for the conduct of the forthcoming local government elections.
Makama said immediately after the completion of the recruitment exercise, those recruited will be trained after which they will be deployed to all the polling stations across the state.
Chairman solicited the cooperation and support of journalists by reporting the process adequately so that people will understand what is happening.
