Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that only five political parties will participate in the Saturday bye-election for the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in Kwara State.
According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Atahiru Madami the parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), UPN, PPN and Labour Party (LP).
Madami who spoke with newsmen after distribution of election materials for the conduct of the election at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ilorin branch, on Thursday, said that the five political parties were the only ones that presented candidates for the election.
The INEC commissioner disclosed that sensitive election materials for the by-election had been distributed, saying that a total of 170, 918 ballot papers and other electoral materials were distributed to all the four local government councils where the by-election would be conducted.
He said that while a total of 125, 865 PVCs were collected from the four local governments where the election will take place 1, 855 electoral officers would be involved in the conduct of the election.
“INEC has continued to improve day by day because in the past we used to have the issue of the late arrival of materials but with the distribution of sensitive materials now, it will arrive polling units as early as 8 am. There is enough security at our area offices in the local governments to protect the materials,” he said.
Madami who commended all the five party agents who witnessed the distribution for their cooperation assured that INEC was committed to conducting of a free and fair election.