1.4m registered voters in Kwara,  INEC says

AHEAD of tomorrow’s presidential and National Assembly election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara State, has said that a total number of 1,407,400 are registered voters in the state.

INEC added that out of this 1,149,969 that have collected their permanent voter’s cards (PVCs), there is a balance of 257,431.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Garba Madami, said that the balance of the PVCs had been forwarded to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safe keep.

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Mallam Madami revealed that the commission had recruited 11,992 as ad-hoc staff for the exercise, noting that they had all been trained and deployed accordingly.

All materials sensitive and non-sensitive have been dispatched to all the local government area offices. The last consignments of sensitive materials are leaving for the field.

I must emphasize also, therefore, that all vehicular needs of each local government area have been met. Also, motorbikes and boat requirements for difficult terrains have been adequately met. Conveyance of men and women materials has been commenced with no hitch.

“A total of 2,887 smart readers have been upgraded, fully charged and deployed to the fields with necessary contingency.

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“A total of 1,827 local and international observers have been accredited.”

The INEC commissioner noted that over 200 media men applied for accreditation, but 109 got accredited.

“I must state here and categorically too that ballot papers have been dispatched in the full glare of political party agents, security agencies and media practitioners”, he said.

Mallam Madani added that “by and large, I can say without mincing words that we are ready for the elections. I, therefore, used this medium to call on all eligible voters to turn out en masse to cast their votes without any fear of intimidation. The security agencies who have been adequately trained have promised they would keep the voting areas safe.”

He urged the political actors to play the game according to the rule and “be reminded that there are lots of dos and don’ts which must be religiously observed as the law will catch up with anyone trying to flout the laws.”