Desmond Mgboh, Kano, Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri, Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan and Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Borno said it has retrieved sensitive materials from about 27 local governments, after elections were postponed on Saturday, February 16.
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mohammed Magaji, told newsmen at a briefing in Maiduguri, yesterday, that the materials earlier deployed have been withdrawn and deposited at the state’s Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office; for safekeeping.
He added that smart card readers have already been configured and that they would be deployed to all voting areas on Friday.
In Kano, INEC confirmed receipt of sensitive and non- sensitive materials for Saturday’s elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Risqua Shehu disclosed this at a press conference, at the state headquarters of the commission, yesterday.
He said non-sensitive materials have been distributed in the 44 local government areas of the state and added that the sensitive materials have been sorted, batched according to their local government and kept for safe keeping at the CBN. He assured that the movement of the electoral materials, from the CBN, to all INEC local government area offices would commence between today and tomorrow.
On his part, Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo State, Mr. Mutiu Agboke, said reconfiguration of 7,336 card readers has been completed.
He disclosed this in his address during a stakeholders’ election forum meeting at the INEC state office at Agodi, Ibadan. The forum, which was attended by service commanders in the state, had in attendance representatives of political parties.
Agboke stated that the reconfiguration of the card readers was completed on Monday, adding that the commission had taken delivery of all election materials for the state He, however, made it known that Oyo has 2,934,107 registered voters, while 2,962,646 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been received by the commission in the state. He further added that 2,176,352 PVCs have been collected, representing 73.5 per cent of PVCs received in the state, and 786,294 PVCs have not been collected, representing 26.5 per cent.
Meanwhile, the INEC office in Kebbi State confirmed it has received all the sensitive materials meant for Saturday’s elections and would kick off distribution today; across the 21 local government areas in the state.
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, who confirmed this during a briefing, yesterday, told newsmen, after inspection of the delivered materials at the CBN, in Birnin-Kebbi, added that all the needed card readers have been configured.
“By tomorrow, we shall start distribution of all the sensitive materials across 21 local government areas in the state,” he said.
Mahmud also disclosed that 1,806,231 registered voters are expected to vote in the elections in the state stressed and that 77,932 Permanent Voters Card(PVCs) were still unclaimed by eligible voters in the state.