No fewer than thirty-two political parties are fielding candidates for Saturday’s governorship polls in Benue state, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe said on Friday.
However, the tense political battle going on between longtime political godfather, Senator George Akume and his erstwhile loyalist, Governor Samuel Ortom has intensified issues between their parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) respectively.
Aggressive mobilisation by loyalists of Akume who surprisingly lost his senatorial seat two weeks ago, in support of APC governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime and Ortom’s supporters yearning to defy Akume’s clout and retain the governorship has strongly energized the political landscape in Benue state.
With an average of about two candidates per ward jostling for a position on the state’s House of Assembly, the grassroots appear sufficiently stimulated for a turnout far beyond the 36 percent voter turnout recorded during the presidential election two weeks ago.
Speaking with some reporters on behalf of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC’s Head, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Organisations in Benue State, Mr. Emmanuel Okpe; stated that 432 candidates from various political parties are jostling for 30 Assembly seats in the state.
He further stated that no fewer than 2,182,997 registered voters out of the state’s total of 2,480,131 registered voters are expected to use their permanent voter cards and vote during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections on Saturday.
According to the INEC official, about 5,025 smart card readers had been re-configured for both the polling units and voting points in the state.
He also said that over 22,000 ad-hoc staff would be on duty at the 3,688 polling units and voting points across Benue state.
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