The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will explore the possibility of using the November 16 governorship election to conduct a fresh election for the Kogi West Senatorial district.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara states, Mohammed Haruna, dropped the hint in Lokoja on Friday.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the Court of Appeal judgment nullifying the election of Senator Dino Melaye, Haruna said since the governorship election was still 34 days away, there was possibility for the election to hold the same day.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the election of PDP’s Melaye and ordered INEC to conduct fresh election within 90 days of its judgment.
The judgment was on the petition filed by Senator Smart Adeyemi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the February 26 election.
The INEC national commissioner was in Lokoja for a workshop on fake news organised for media executives, journalists and bloggers by the International Foundation for Electoral System, in collaboration with INEC.
On concern in some quarters on the possible manipulation of the card reading machine by unscrupulous politicians, the national commissioner dismissed it as “practically impossible.”
He also assured that the commission would allow a level playing ground for all candidates in the election, but appealed to them to play the game according to rules.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Adeiza Jimoh, assured that journalists would be professional in the discharge of their duties before, during and after the election.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
