Barely ten days to the Presidential election, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has said it would not change its position on simultaneous accreditation and voting on polls day.
Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee made the declaration on Wednesday at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja.
Certain opposition parties particularly the People’s Democratic Party had demanded for the old arrangement where voters first queue up for accreditation to return to vote.
But Barrister Okoye maintained that the old arrangement was lethargic and further noted that the Commission had observed that prospective voters who scaled the hurdle of accreditation often refused or failed to meet up with scheduled time for voting.
He said: “Simultaneous voting and accreditation would allow voters, particularly those with physical disabilities to vote with ease.Ā Since 2015, we have been using this new method.Ā We set the guidelines and regulations and we asked the parties to make inputs. We decided after several consultations with the stakeholders. But ultimately, INEC as the regulator reserves the right on the method to adopt.”
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The INEC Commissioner further disclosed that the commission has since taken delivery of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials.Ā He listed the sensitive materials as ballot papers and result sheets which he revealed were in the custody of the apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in states across the country.
The INEC Commissioner further disclosed that the commission has since taken delivery of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials.Ā He listed the sensitive materials as ballot papers and result sheets which he revealed were in the custody of the apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in states across the country.
He said: “Some of the non-sensitive materials have been delivered to various local government offices. The non-sensitive materials include voting cubicles, writing materials, ballot boxes and many others.
“The generating sets to be used at various registration areas and local governments have been delivered to them. The torch to be used have also been delivered.
“Based on these delivered items, we have told the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) concerned to beef up security at the various local government offices to protect the non-sensitive materials.
“Secondly, the CBN in the various states have started receiving the sensitive materials for the conduct of these elections. These sensitive material include ballot papers and result sheets. If we have not started deploying sensitive materials into the various vaults for an election few days, that means that we are an unserious commission. These materials are delivered on daily basis at the various CBN across the states. We are gradually getting there and we are getting ready for the elections.”
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He assured journalists and Nigerians that, “the Commission will continue to be open and transparent in the management of information relating to the 2019 general elections.
“The Commission is ready to provide the relevant information required for the professional execution of your activities. The Commission is ready to clarify issues and acknowledge challenges where they exist.”
Barrister Okoye expressed regret over the burnt Permanent Voters Cards in Abia state and said the commission has since instructed the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Abia state to fortify security around INEC offices.
“On the issue of burnt PVCs in Abia State, I think that Nigerians should express some level of outrage. As a commission, we thought that the era of burning local government offices has come to an end.
“We have directed them to fortify security around the offices. We equally told the Abia REC to liaise with various security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book. We cannot allow anybody or any individual to intimidate the commission in doing what is not right.
“We see this particular act to instil some fears in the commission and into the minds of the young persons recruited to conduct this particular election. We are not going to be intimidated by this particular incident. We will rather be emboldened to do what is right. Those who went to burn INEC office in Abia would not have achieved anything because the commission will continue with the processes as we move close to the general elections.”
INEC has directed the Abia REC to compile the names of all the burnt PVCs and forward to the headquarters, if it is possible to reprint those burnt PVCs, the commission will do that and find a way of getting them across to the owners willing to collect them. We are not going to distribute the PVCs by proxy and any person or group found to be distributing by proxy will be arrested and prosecuted.
On the issue of Rivers, the commission has taken a decision, if thing changes we will meet as aĀ commission and take a decision. But the commission has not reviewed our position as it concerns Rivers.