INEC makes contingency plans for elections in Imo, Abia, Edo, Kebbi

… Postpones voting in 141 units

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakuku has bemoan situation in Imo, Kebbi, Abia among other states declaring that the Commission is doing everything to ensure no single Nigerian is disadvantaged in the process.

Yakubu made this disclosure when he briefed journalists, observers and monitors at the International Conference Centre venue of the National Collation Centre stating that in most of the states where challenges have arisen from, the Commission has made considerable contingency plan to address the situation as they arose.

He explained further that the military has confirmed that the attack in Gworza was an 18 militer multer attack on two facilities including a filling station in Gworza near INEC office noting that no damage to INEC facilities and no casualties but some people were injured and they are in the hospital receiving

He said: ” Unfortunately, we continued to loose the BVAS. We also lost some BVAS in Anyamelu in Anambra State. We have recovered from these losses because we have arrangements for contingency plan to respond to any such attack.

”There were issues for the commence of the process in Abia, Imo, Kebbi and other places. But I am happy to say that the process is right now ongoing in Abia and the polling units will remain open well beyond the appointed hour until 2:30pm. In Imo the process is ongoing except in few REs and PU marred by insecurity and thuggery spread across seven local government councils. And the situation in Kebbi is stable and voting is currently going on mainly in Birnin Kebbi. But earlier it affected Kebbi and parts of Argungun.

”We have a situation in Bayelsa state particularly in the Capital, Yenagoa where in four Wards, Ward 4, 6, 8, and 14 involving 141 polling units the process was disrupted. We remobilize security. And the situation is calm for us to proceed but the NYSC members expressed some apprehension on going back. So, we met with the security agencies and we have decided that voting in a 141 where the materials are actually intact will take place tomorrow morning. So the youth Corps members and other categories of adhoc staff are agreeable for these election tomorrow.

”In Lagos state, we have been closely following the situation in Okota, Mafoluku, Oshodi and Elegushi, we have been able to normalise the situation in a number of places including Ikate where voting is ongoing.

”The Chairman said sorting and counting of votes has commenced in a number of places. He said between the last briefing and this last one, saying the Commission has taken a proactive steps by meeting the Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser and the Commandant General of NSCDC.

”The idea is to strengthen security as we moved to the next stage of the process which is the collation of the results in locations where voting has been concluded in the polling units.

”In Edo State, we had a situation that we handled yesterday. One of the parties, its acronyms is on the result sheet but the logo is not on the ballot in a federal constituency after meeting with the stakeholders the decision was taken since the materials are intact to countermand the election.

”So, we have suspended election for Esan North, South and Igueben. The ballot papers will be reprinted. And election will now hold along side with the state constituencies on the 11th of March. That is in the next two weeks. We are determined that no Nigerian should and will not be disenfranchised. We have been responding to some of the situations as they arise. And we are going to do so overnight.”