?The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nasarawa State, says it will deploy 141 ad-hoc staff for the conduct of?Saturday's State House of Assembly by-election in Awe-North constituency.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Ahmed Makama, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lafia, while commenting on INEC preparation for the exercise.
He disclosed that as part of arrangement to ensure the success of the election, the commission had posted six additional electoral officers to the area to assist the INEC staff members in the constituency.
Makama further told NAN that 34,700 registered voters were expected to cast their votes in the 47 polling units of the six wards in the affected constituency.
According to him, four political parties – ANPP, ACN, CPC and PDP will participate in the by-election.
NAN reports that the by-election followed the demise of a member of the State House of Assembly, Malam Yakubu Faransa, representing Awe-North constituency, who died during a protracted illness at the National Hospital, Abuja, in May.
Makama, however, assured the political parties that INEC would provide a level-playing ground for them and would ensure a transparent, free and fair election.
?“INEC is fully prepared for the by-election as both the sensitive and non-sensitive election materials are ready.''
?He said that sensitive materials were taken from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lafia, on July 5, adding that adequate security arrangement had been put in place to ensure a violent-free election.
Makama said that NYSC members would be used as presiding and polling officers while the staff of Federal Government organisations in the state would be engaged as supervisory and collating officers.
He warned politicians not to take politics as a do-or-die affair, adding that they should conduct themselves in a peaceful manner to ensure a hitch-free poll. (NAN)