The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that all hands were on deck to ensure security during the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in Kogi State.
This is even as the Commission said it has deployed 25,000 ad-hoc staff for the election and that the commission was fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, and credible election in Kogi on November 11, 2023.
INEC chairman, Prof Yakubu Mahmoud, who disclosed this during a mock voters accreditation exercise in Kogi State, disclosed that the commission was collaborating with security agencies to arrest any incidence of insecurity before, during, and after election.
Yakubu also urged election officers to properly bag all non-sensitive materials on the ground for easy movement on election day.
He said the commission was also providing alternative polling units at Family Support Program Nursery, Primary School, and UBE Junior Secondary School Gaduma in Lokoja to Ganaja Poling unit centers in the event of flooding on election day.
He assured that there would be a high level of transparency in the electoral process.
Providing insights into the preparations and measures taken ahead of the upcoming elections at Ganaja Village, he said that the choice of the largest and most densely populated polling unit in Nigeria with 13,000 registered voters, necessitated the deployment of a minimum of eight BVAS machines for voter accreditation.
Yakubu highlighted the challenge of flooding in the location due to its proximity to the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue.
To mitigate this, he said INEC has identified an alternative location, Gaduma, which can be used in case of flooding. Additionally, he said the commission aims to use the polling unit as a “super-rack” to camp ad-hoc staff overnight, ensuring a smoother setup on the day of the election.
The INEC chairman assured voters of a pleasant voting experience and clarified that the general election consists of three phases: the main election, supplementary elections, and court-ordered run elections.
INEC focus has been on these phases, and preparations for off-cycle elections were in place, he added.
Regarding crowd control on Election Day, Yakubu explained that registers will be alphabetised by voter surnames, and officials will guide voters to their specific voting locations.
In response to the mock accreditation exercise in other states, the chairman revealed that the turnout was impressive in Bayelsa and Imo States, indicating voter enthusiasm.
Prof Yakubu reiterated that the accreditation and transmission of election results would be electronic, as provided by law.
He encouraged registered individuals on the IREV portal to check for the mock election results from the three states, emphasising the transparency of the process.
On the matter of security threats, the chairman expressed assurance from security agencies. He disclosed an upcoming high-level meeting to discuss security arrangements for the three states, emphasizing INEC’s proactive stance on security.
Regarding the threat of flooding in Kogi, he INEC was committed to providing essential amenities such as electricity, water, toiletries, and sleeping materials for ad-hoc staff staying overnight at super racks.
Yakubu noted INEC’s consistent efforts to ensure security and minimum comfort for those involved in the elections, even improvising as necessary.
On his part, the INEC resident electoral commissioner in Kogi State, Hale Longpet, also spoke after the mock voter accreditation exercise.
He stated that the commission has put in place measures to ensure a peaceful and credible election in the state.
He urged political parties and their supporters to play by the rules and avoid any act that could lead to violence or disruption of the electoral process.