INEC has started distributing sensitive materials ahead of Saturday elections

Election materials have already been distributed in some states including Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Benue, Cross River and Ekiti.

Confirming the development, the Ekiti State Resident National Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami while speaking at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado Ekiti branch, where the materials were picked from on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, said the early distribution of election materials “is an indication that INEC has put everything in place and we are not leaving everything till the last minute”.

He said the electoral commission is ready for the coming election, adding that all logistic issues have been resolved.

“We are to assure Nigerians that we are fully ready for the elections and the materials are ready on time and being distributed on time and will get to locations on time and elections will hold on schedule.

“I can assure you, as you can see, that all our electoral officers in all the local governments are here with their vehicles to convey the materials to the various local government areas. That is an indication that logistics issues have been resolved. We have the money that we need to conduct this election and we have the fuel for the vehicles that will be used,” he said.

In Lagos and Ondo, the distribution of materials was carried out under heavy presence of security agencies at the CBN headquarters in the states. 

While addressing journalists at the Lagos CBN branch in Marina, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said the materials would be distributed to Local Government Areas where electoral officers from each council would pick the materials from for final distribution on election day. 

The distribution of election materials according to ThePunch has also commenced in Benue, Cross River, Sokoto, and Nasarawa state.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari during his meeting with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday said INEC had no excuse not to conduct successful polls.

“I’m being grounded by INEC. You know next Saturday is a great day for us and I take instructions from INEC so that I make sure there’ll be no excuses for a successful election conduct.,” Buhari said.

The president told he service chiefs that he called the meeting to ensure the 2023 general elections are successful.