Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has confessed that Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo are the three most difficult States to conduct election.
Speaking at a meeting today, October 27, with the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), ahead of the November 11 election in the three States, Professor Yakubu said: “the three States of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi are not the easiest States in Nigeria to conduct elections.
“The difficult geographical terrain and prevailing insecurity are compounded by negative mobilisation by political actors, especially since the commencement of campaign in public on 14th July 2023.
“Our message to politicians is that they should call their candidates and supporters to order. “Violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process must stop.”
The INEC Chairman, who said that the three States have 5,409,438 registered voters out of which 5,169,692 have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), called on the security agencies to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence.
“This is the surest way to guarantee a safe environment for the peaceful conduct of elections and electoral activities.
“In doing so, security personnel on electoral duty should remain neutral and committed to the established professional code of conduct and rules of engagement.”
Professor Yakubu
announced that eligible voters will vote in 10,510 polling units in the three States.
According to him, there are two polling units in Bayelsa State and 38 in Imo State without registered voters.
He said that the list of these polling units is available on the INEC website.
He said that election results will be collated in 649 Registration Areas/Wards, 56 Local Government Areas and three State collation centres.
“This gives us a cumulative figure of 11,178 voting and collation locations to deploy security personnel in the three States.
“This is in addition to ensuring a secure environment for the ongoing campaigns and rallies by political parties and candidates, security of voters, the escort of personnel and materials, protection of assets and general security for all persons with legitimate reason to participate in the election and electoral activities.”
