From Victor Osula, Abuja
Prof Mahmood Yakuba, INEC Chairman
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Saturday afternoon updated the public on the drastic steps being taken by the Commission to resolve complaints dealing with missing party logos in the ballot papers, late arrival of materials in some states and violent attacks in some states during voting.
Yakubu who during a press briefing at the National Collation Centre of the Commision in Abuja, said the Commission would solve all the observable lapses dealing with the conduct of the ongoing polls on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Speaking on the issue of party logo, the INEC boss who stated that only accredited agents would be admitted into the collation centre during and after election, disclosed that the Commission made provision to accommodate genuine party agents whose names may have been unavoidably omitted during accreditation.
He said “We have complaints about the logo of a political party with acronyms on the result sheets. To resolve that, INEC provided two additional blank rolls to take care of any political party that the Commission may be forced to accommodate in an eventuality. We have polling units’ specific sheets with copies given to polling agents and the police. The Polling Officer and the collation agents are authorised to certify and stamp the forms,”
Yakubu said the Commission is tracking the issue of late arrival or availability of voting materials in Abia and Imo states. Specifically in Imo, he said the Commission has identified four affected Local Governments. These are Okigwe (5 out of 11 wards) Oguta,(widespread) Orsu (6 wards) and Orlu (11 wards).
In Maiduguri metropolis where the Vice-Presidential candidate of theAll Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Zulum were yet to vote as at 11: am and Jere Local Government area in Borno State, where voting materials were still being awaited as at press time, Yakubu said voters polling officers would be on standby allow voting for all accredited voters.
“In Imo state voters who cannot vote may have to be transferred to other polling units. In Abia deployment of materials is already taking place,” Yakubu assured the public, adding that, “no matter how late voters who are on the queue before 2:00 pm will vote no matter the time it takes.”He confirmed reports of feared attacks on some locations in Gwosa, Borno State but said the Commission was tracking it to ascertain its impact on voting there.
