The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission has said that there will be no restriction of movement for travellers passing through the state during the local government election on Saturday (today).
The Chairman of KOSIEC, Mamman Nda-Eri, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja on Friday.
Nda-Eri assured travellers of their immunity from the statement earlier issued on Friday by the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, on restriction of vehicular movement between 7am and 4pm on Saturday.
Fanwo had said that the decision to restrict vehicular movement on Saturday was to ensure hitch-free council polls in the state.
He had said: ““The decision is also to guarantee the security of voters and citizens across the 21 local government areas of the state.
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“Already, the state government has directed security agencies to enforce the order in the interest of the people and to ensure that offenders are punished.”
However, the KOSIEC chairman told NAN that the restriction order was only for residents of the state and not the travellers passing through Kogi State.
He said: “We are aware that Kogi is a gateway state and we can’t stop people from travelling across the state.
“The election is very crucial though, but we understand the fears of travellers.
“They can pass without any problem.”
Nda-Eri also disclosed that the deployment of sensitive electoral materials to LGAs had commenced, adding that they had been released to the electoral officers in all the 21 local government areas of the state.
The chairman, who monitored the release of the sensitive electoral materials at the headquarters of the commission, said they arrived at the headquarters of the commission around 9pm Thursday.
He said that the election would take place in the 239 wards of the 21 council areas simultaneously on Saturday from 8am to 3pm.
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