The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is yet to commence distribution of election materials to electoral officers to conduct the presidential and national assembly election across the sixteen local government areas of Taraba state.
A visit by Tribune Online at INEC office located opposite ministry of agriculture in Jalingo at about 7:30 pm revealed that the election materials for the election were still been offloaded for distribution.
The INEC officials and ad-hoc staff for the election were still waiting outside the gate of the INEC office to get the materials to travel to their areas of coverages.
Taraba state governor Darius Ishaku through his media aid Bala Danhabu earlier today raised alarm on the late arrival of the election materials, stating that it is capable of disenfranchising the people of the state who are far from the state capital.
The delay in the distribution of the election materials by INEC Nigerian Tribune gathered that may hamper the election time table by the electoral body which stipulates that accreditation of voters in the election will commence 8: am on Saturday 16th of February. (Tomorrow)
Also at the INEC office in Jalingo, Nigerian Tribune while speaking to some of the ad-hoc staff of the INEC also discovered that some of the lecturers who are recruited as collation officers were protesting for the lack of mobilization by INEC for them to convey the election materials to their local government areas of coverage.
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Some of the lecturers who spoke to Nigerian Tribune said the commission asked them to use their personal means to convey the materials to their areas after distribution.
One of the lecturers from Federal University Wukari who spoke to our Correspondent on condition of anonymity lamented that while he was travelling from Wukari to Jalingo, he was not aware that he was coming to commence the exercise without mobilization from INEC.
“I thought I was coming to be mobilized by INEC to travel for the election, I may not travel it is impossible that I must finance the trip on my own because I do not have enough money on me.
The Public Relations officer of INEC in Taraba state Febian Mame refuse to comment on the development, he said the issue will be addressed with time.
Nigerian Tribune also gathered that governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state who was billed to travel to Takum, his home town for the election has stopped his trip to stay in Jalingo and monitor the distribution process of the election materials.
A source close to the governor who spoke to our Correspondent said the governor was unhappy over the delay of the distribution of the election materials in the state and wanted INEC to act more infective to avoid a situation where the people may be denied of their civic responsibility.
“Oga has cancelled his trip to Takum today because of the delay of the distribution of the election materials, he wants to remain here and monitor the process and know if there is any hitch.
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