INEC Discloses Date For Bayelsa Rerun Election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed January
9, next year for the supplementary election of the Southern Ijaw Local
Council cancelled by the body recently.

Impeccable multi sources within the Commission told The Guardian
yesterday that the tentative date being canvassed by top officials and
stakeholders seems to be widely acceptable to all the principal actors
in the election saga.

"Apart from the fact that the yuletide period is around the corner,
consideration was given to the fact that a lot of people would return
home to their villages and they wouldn't want to be bogged down with
the inconveniences of the election.

The commission wants to consult with the various stake holders and
needs time to prepare for the make or mar re-run," one of the sources
said.

In order to perform its duty, Yakubu was said to have decided to carry
everybody along and involve all concerned in widespread consultations.

The electoral boss, alongside his top lieutenants yesterday, met with
security chiefs in the area including the Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Sanusi Oki, his Army counterpart, Major General Alali Okunola and
those of the Naval, Air Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense
Corps.

The security situation during the recent election was discussed at the
meeting, while plans were laid out to prevent a recurrence of the
lapses recorded in the last poll.

The INEC boss is set to meet with all the parties that participated in
the last election, together with all the candidates on Thursday in
Abuja.

"They are expected to come to the meeting with all their grievances
and those present are also expected to thrash all the issues
exhaustively," another source revealed.

"The chairman has been consulting widely and he wants to carry along
all the stakeholders, regardless of their status or affiliations."

It shall be the turn of the media and civil societies groups on
Friday, during which INEC is expected to announce the date for the
bye-election.

"INEC is trying to ensure that it shakes off the under-performance tag
that is being attached to it. The boss wants to be seen as being fair
and effective.

"After the Kogi near-disaster, he can't afford to have another misstep
in this one. His integrity and that of the commission are at stake
here," a source said.

-TheGuardian