Kogi guber: INEC recruits 16,139 ad-hoc staff for election

Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has recruited 16,139 ad-hoc staff for the successful conduct of the exercise.

INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Barr. Festus Okoye, disclosed this at FCE Okene on Tuesday during the Commission’s Campus Outreach tagged “Youth Votes Count” programme organised by European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) in collaboration with INEC.

He said the outreach was imperative because students represent 95 percent of the ad-hoc staff, stressing that there was need to sensitize them before the election.

“We will train all the ad-hoc staff for the election because we need a credible election in Kogi state.

“Election will take place in the 21 LGAs of the state in 2,548 polling units and additional 3,508 polling units that will be created for the election,” he said.

While speaking on the readiness of INEC in conducting the November governorship election in Kogi state, Okoye assured that the Commission will provide all the facilities that will be required for the election.

“We will make sure that two weeks before the general election, all non-sensitive materials will be in the state and it will be distributed accordingly”, he said.

He charged the electorates in the state to come out enmass to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice, stressing that without exercising their civic right, the people cannot hold the leaders accountable.

In his remark, the Provost of the College, Dr Umar Hassan, said that for the country to attain the desired development, youths have significant roles to play, noting that youth form the fulcrum of any nation’s development.

He therefore cautioned the students not to allow themselves to be used as agent of electoral violence by “do or die” politicians who may choose to win election by all means.