The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Saturday, conducted mock accreditation ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.
INEC had scheduled the mock accreditation for October 14 in polling units in the three states to test-run the technologies to be deployed on election day and as well as increase voters’ confidence in the commission’s activities.
Speaking after the exercise in Kogi state, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, noted that the commission would meet with heads of security chiefs next week Friday at the headquarters in Abuja to discuss security issues ahead of the election.
Yakubu said the security meeting would be chaired by himself, adding that no security chief would be represented.
“He said “Well, so far so good in terms of assurance from the security agencies as we can see, they’re even here for the mock exercise.
“Next week, Friday, there is going to be a high-level meeting in Abuja, chaired by myself and the national security adviser in which all the security chiefs will be present (no representation) to discuss the issue of security for the three states. So, we are on top of the situation in terms of security arrangement and security deployment.”
On feelers from other states where mock accreditation took place, the INEC chairman stated, “I have received pictures from Bayelsa, and the turnout for the mock accreditation in Bayelsa is impressive.
“In fact, in one of the polling units in Yenagoa, there was even a queue of voters waiting to be accredited and we believe it is the same story that we would hear very soon from Imo.”
Explaining the method of accreditation and transmission of election results, Yakubu stated, “The method is as provided by law; electronic accreditation, and electronic upload of results on the IREV portal.
“So please disregard whatever was reported about what the Bayelsa REC had said.
“For those registered, they should go to the IREV portal and see the result of the mock from all three states in a few hours.”
Yakubu added that non-sensitive materials have been delivered for the governorship election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Kogi state, Dr. Hale Longpet, expressed readiness to conduct the November 11 governorship election in the state.
Longpet noted, “All non-sensitive materials have been received and sent to the Local Government Areas. These have also been batched according to Registration Areas and Polling Units.
“We have received 60 per cent of our budget and have also started disbursing to LGAs to start those activities that need to be undertaken. We would like to request the Central Bank be directed to give us our cash directly to avoid delays and problems with transportation and RAC activation.”
The INEC monitored a mock accreditation exercise in one of the Registration Area Centres, and Ganaga ward in Ajaokuta LGA with 13,000 registered voters.
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