Umar Abdullahi 
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Sokoto State has appealed to the political parties contesting and electorates to play by the rules in their campaigns and during the elections.
This coming as February 3, the announced date for the court-ordered re-run elections across the country is approaching.
It would be recalled that the appellate court nullified the election of one federal house of representatives and two state houses of assembly, ordering the electoral umpire to conduct a re-run in some of the polling units citing irregularities.
The Sokoto State Administrative Secretary of the Commission, Hajiya Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa stated this during a stakeholders forum meeting as part of the preparation for the polls held in Sokoto on Tuesday.
She, however, reaffirmed that the re-run election will be conducted in 18 RAs, and 46 polling units which cut across four local governments of Yabo, Shagari, Bodinga and Tambuwal local governments area.
The election is expected to fill one Federal Representative, Yabo/Shagari federal constituency as well as the Bodinga North and Tambuwal West state constituencies.
Kangiwa also called for synergy with relevant stakeholders to ensure the free and fair conduct of the election in the state. According to her, the commission is planning that the election will be free, fair, credible and inclusive to pass the test of acceptability.
“Such will be only possible where all the stakeholders play their own roles as provided by the laws of this country.
“I have no doubt that the stakeholders will act as they had always been doing during the past elections we conducted prior to this re-run elections.
She also appeals to the political parties contesting and the electorates to play by the rules in their campaigns and during the elections.
“In this respect, I ask the parties to eschew violence, vote buying and other electoral offences, which if committed are punishable by law,” Kangiwa averted.
She expressed optimism that the security agencies in the state were ever ready to discharge their constitutional responsibilities diligently, conscientiously and with great commitment.
She said the commission has received considerable cooperation from the political parties, civil society organisations, women’s groups, and people living with disabilities as well as media, for taking the messages to the public.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Kaigama, who spoke on behalf of other security agencies assured that there will be adequate deployment of security personnel to all the polling units to avert any breach of peace.
Presents at the meeting were the state Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bello Aliyu Goronyo, the Secretary of the All Progressive Party (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Yabo other political parties across the states, civil society organizations, security agencies, among others stakeholders.
