Dr Frank Ozoh, former Coordinator, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Institute, has urged the commission to ensure that political stakeholders in Kogi adhere to due process during the state supplementary election. He told newsmen by telephone on Thursday in Abuja that INEC should ensure that stakeholders follow due process in deciding who would become the governorship candidate for All Progressives Congress in the state.

He, however, suggested that since Alhaji Abubakar Audu died during the inconclusive Nov. 21 governorship election in the state, his running mate Rep. James Faleke, should be declared the party’s candidate for the supplementary election. “Otherwise, there should be a re-run election, so that all aggrieved persons will participate in the re-run; once there is the position of a running mate, then there is already a joint ticket.

“It is not possible for the votes of late Audu to be transferred to another person who did not contest in an election since our electoral system is not based on transferable vote system like we have in India. “Once we are making a return, we say this candidate, having polled majority of the votes and having met the constitutional requirements; we don’t say this party.

“Therefore, the votes are for the candidates and not for the party,’’ he said. Ozoh, however, said that the issue of inconclusive election first came up in 2010 which made the electoral institute to review the Manual for Election Officials while he was the coordinator of the institute. “The then chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu, used the procedure for the re-run of 2009 Ekiti election,’’ he said.