TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sensitive Materials

  • BREAKING: INEC vows not to keep sensitive materials with CBN

    BREAKING: INEC vows not to keep sensitive materials with CBN

    Ahead the 2023 general elections,Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the independent National Electoral commission (INEC), has vowed that sensitive electoral materials will in the meantime no longer be routed through the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He also specifically notes that, beginning from the Ekiti state Governorship election, INEC will not keep its sensitive materials with the CBN.

    On Statutory delegates can vote in party primaries declared by the Court, the number electoral umpire in Nigeria said” this decision is to guarantee that electoral materials for the lined up Elections are not compromised

    The INEC Chairman stated this while responding to questions in an ongoing dialogue in elections in Abuja.

    Several individuals and groups have raised serious concern about the sanctity of Elections materials kept with the CBN, after stories about the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, indicating interest to contest for the country’s presidential seat hit the airwaves in recent months.

    Details to follow…

  • Photos: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials for Edo poll

    Photos: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials for Edo poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Edo State has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials to all eighteen (18) Local Government Areas in the state.

    The people of Edo State will elect their new governor on Saturday, September, 19 to paddle the affairs of the state for the next four years.

    The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier disclosed that result sheets and ballot papers for the poll had been modified to ensure transparency.

    The sensitive materials which arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Benin on Wednesday are being distributed today to all 18 LGAs in the state, in the presence of party agents, election monitoring groups, and pressmen.

    The INEC chairman, also reassured the Edo people that their votes would count, added that only the choice made by the people of Edo would determine the outcome of the election.

    He explained that the commission would not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.

    Police Officers on electoral duty have also been charged to operate within the law and rules of engagement as any infractions on the laws/rules guiding election policing by any officer will be investigated and appropriate sanctions will be given.

  • Postponement: INEC completes configuration of smart card readers, ends distribution of sensitive materials today

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has completed the configuration of smart card readers.

    The chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the commission’s third press briefing after the postponement of the elections.

    On Tuesday at its second briefing, the commission said the configuring of the Smart Card Readers was 95 per cent done nationwide.

    “The Card Readers were introduced in the 2015 general elections to facilitate the accreditation of voters using the PVCs. They are configured to specific polling units, and only open for use at 8 am on Election Day.

    “They automatically shut down by 10 pm to forestall any illegal use before the appointed time of elections. I am pleased to report that we have now achieved 100 per cent completion of the configuration. We are good to go on this score.’’

    The Card Readers were introduced in the 2015 general elections to facilitate the accreditation of voters using the Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

    They are configured to specific polling units and only open for use at 8 a.m on Election Day.

    According to the chairman, they are automatically shut down by 10 p.m in order to forestall any illegal use before the appointed time of elections.

    Meanwhile, the INEC boss also said the commission will complete the deployment of sensitive election material to the nation’s 774 local government areas for the Saturday elections by Thursday.

    “I briefed you yesterday that having moved the sensitive materials to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, the forward deployment to the 774 LGAs nationwide will commence today Wednesday, Feb. 20 and be concluded tomorrow Thursday, Feb. 21.

    “Already, ten states; Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, and Taraba States have commenced the movement of materials to LGAs today.

    “Other states will do so and conclude tomorrow. We will give a full rendition of movement to LGAs across all states of the Federation tomorrow.

    “We have been making good progress on logistics. Similarly, all other arrangements for the movement of personnel from the LGAs to the Wards are on course. We will fully brief you tomorrow at 3 pm.’’

    Yakubu also disclosed that the commission had achieved 100 per cent completion of the configuration of the Smart Card Readers for the elections.

    He added that INEC state offices had fully complied with the directive to invite stakeholders to the Central Bank of Nigeria to examine the retrieved materials deployed last week and to witness their distributions to LGAs.

    Yakubu said that the commission had made specific arrangement on deployment and security of election materials and personnel in the riverine areas to ensure that elections also start on time there.

    “We have made an elaborate arrangement with boat owners as well as the security forces that would accompany our materials and personnel.’’

     

  • Ekiti poll: Tight security as INEC distributes sensitive materials

    Ekiti poll: Tight security as INEC distributes sensitive materials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday afternoon began the distribution of sensitive materials ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the materials were being moved from the Ado Ekiti branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria to the headquarters of each of the 16 local government councils amid tight security.

    NAN reports that as at 1 pm on Thursday, long queues of INEC delivery vans were sighted at the Ado Ekiti branch of the apex bank waiting to collect the materials.

    Armed men of the Nigeria police, who were at the distribution venue, cordoned-off the premises throughout the period the exercise lasted.

    The spokesman of INEC in the state, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, confirmed the development to NAN.

    He said apart from ensuring tight security in the transportation of the materials, the commission was also tracking all the vehicles conveying them.

    ” All we are doing is to maintain our stand on transparency and openness even as we also guard against infiltration

    ” The other reason why we are keeping to our plans and programmes is that we do not want failure, especially on issues concerning late arrival of voting materials at all venues,’’ he said.