Ogun: INEC request 10,000 security agents for elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State has requested for no fewer than 10,000 security personnel to man 3,210 polling units across the state.

This was disclosed by the Administrative Secretary of the electoral body, Mr James Popoola, at an interactive session with traditional rulers on the general elections, in Abeokuta, on Monday.

He explained that such number would be required for effective monitoring to ensure free and fair polls.

Popoola also said that about 900,165 Permanent Voter Cards are yet to be collected by eligible voters for a period four years.

Giving the breakdown, the administrative secretary explained that 1,123,537 PVCs were received by the Commission in the state while only 223,372 cards had been claimed as at last Friday.

He called on the traditional rulers to prevail on their subjects to collect their PVCs so as to perform their civic responsibilities during the elections.

“Our royal fathers are once more enjoined to continue to appeal to the citizens to collect their PVCs, abstain from electoral vices and maintain peace before, during and after elections,” he said.

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The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, urged the traditional rulers not to be apolitical but should be the father of all.

Also speaking at the event, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Lagos/Ogun/Oyo, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, said there was no iota of truth in the rumour making the rounds that the card reader had been enhanced to re-capture voters’ fingerprints.

He explained that the card reader cannot automatically overwrite the biometric record on the database of the commission.

“If the fingerprint is not authenticated by the card reader but the PVC is confirmed as genuine and the voter’s personal details are consistent with the manual register, he/she shall be allowed to vote.

“Similarly, the claim that the card reader has been enhanced to recapture voters’ fingerprints at polling units and automatically overwrite the biometric record on our database is untrue and should be disregarded.

“However, where the biometric authentication fails, the voter will be required to thumbprint a box next to his/her picture on the register and to enter his/her mobile phone number before proceeding to vote,” he added.