Five political parties are expected to participate in the Saturday August 16, 2025, by-election for Dekina-Okura State Constituency of Kogi State.
This was confirmed to our Correspondent by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Lokoja the Kogi State capital.
Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Oliver Agundu named the contesting parties as Accord party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Agundu also expressed the readiness of the electoral body for the exercise, adding that preparation for the by-election has been completed
The by-election follows the death of former Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Enema Paul who died on December 14, 2024.
Enema’s seat was subsequently declared vacant by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Agundu, through INEC’s Education Officer, Mr Haruna Haliru, said the Commission had held a meeting of Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strategise on securing personnel and materials during and after the polls.
He noted that all non-sensitive materials had already been deployed to the local government, while sensitive materials were expected to arrive between Wednesday and Thursday.
Training for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), who are mostly INEC staff, has been completed, along with the training for Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) in Anyigba from August 8 to 10.
“All non-sensitive materials have been deployed to the local government and we are only waiting for the arrival of the sensitive materials on Wednesday or Thursday.
“We have concluded the training of our supervisory presiding officers (SPOs) who are mainly INEC staff in readiness for the election,” he said.
The REC assured stakeholders of a free, fair, transparent, and credible election, urging all registered voters in the constituency to turn out in large numbers, maintain order, and vote for the candidates of their choice.
