March 18: INEC distributes sensitive election materials in Bauchi, assures timely delivery to voting points

Samuel Luka, Bauchi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bauchi headquarters has distributed sensitive election materials in preparation to the Saturday 18 Governorship and States assembly elections.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Nura while addressing journalists at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Bauchi, assured that the Commission will ensure timely delivery of election materials at all polling stations across the 20 local government areas of the State.

He also assured the residents of Bauchi state of free, fair and credible elections that will be accepted by everyone. 

Nura noted that the Commission had last time distributed the items at its headquarters, but this time decided to conduct the exercise at the CBN because the number is not up to the presidential elections. 

He explained that the early commencement of the distribution this time around was to enable the Commission to have enough time to check if there’s a shortfall on the list items and report to the National office for replacement before the coming elections on Saturday.

The REC said all the election materials were expected to reach the local government headquarters in good time to enable the officials have two days between Fridays and Saturdays to sort out everything for the polling units. 

Alhaji Nura also assure the Bauchi electorates that the Commission is ready to ensure a smooth and transparent exercise in the State.

He explained that the main reason for the early distributions of the materials is to give enough time for the Commission’s officials and to see if there is any shortfall in the list of the items and report to the headquarters on the shortfall before the day of the elections.

“Last time, the items were distributed at the INEC office, but this time the Commission decided to do the exercise here at CBN because the quantity of the items is not much like that of the Presidential elections”, Alhaji Nura further explained.

Our correspondent reports that the distribution exercise was carried out in the presence of the State Police Commissioner, CP Aminu Alhassan as well as other top security heads.

Some of the stakeholders interviewed comprising party agents, securities, as well as elections observers during the distributions of the materials, expressed satisfaction and confidence with the overall process.

Items distributed include the B-VAS, Form EC 8B (1) and Ballot Papers for the governorship and state assembly elections.