The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials to local councils in Lagos in readiness for Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
The exercise is being carried out under the heavy presence of security agencies at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters in Marina, Lagos.
All security agencies, including the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the State Security Service, are supervising the distribution.
The deployment is also being carried out in the presence of journalists, observers’ local and international, and party officials.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, while speaking to reporters said that the electoral officers would take the items to their councils where they would be sent to the polling units on Saturday morning.
According to Agbaje, “Party agents, international observers, security agencies are all on ground to witness the distribution process.
“You can see the synergy here. The DSS is also here. The commissioner of police has been here since 10:00am. We are loading the trucks that will go to various local governments.’’
Reacting to the transportation mode of the materials, Agbaje noted that the commission does not have and doesn’t envisage transportation problems on Saturday.
“We don’t have any problem with transportation. All trucks used today are provided by the National Association of Road Transport Workers.
“All the materials for the Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections are complete.”
The party agents expressed satisfaction at the preparedness of the commission and the transparent manner in which the materials were distributed.
