Ahead of the October 5 local government election in Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia declared Friday, October 4th a work-free day.

Alia declared in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, and made it available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi on Thursday.

The governor said that the “work-free day was to allow the electorate to travel to their respective local government areas to exercise their franchise.”

He emphasised the importance of “active participation in the electoral process” and encouraged all citizens to take advantage of this work-free day to exercise their civic duty.

Alia expressed confidence that with the right commitment and participation, the elections would be conducted smoothly and fairly.

The governor further urged all public and private sector organisations to support the initiative by allowing their employees to do likewise.

He charged the citizens to prioritise peaceful conduct and collaboration during the elections, reinforcing the need for unity and cooperation among all parties involved.