The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the deployment of nine additional Residents Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to Imo State in preparation for the upcoming governorship election on Saturday. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu made this revelation during a stakeholders' meeting held in Owerri on Monday.
The meeting, attended by governorship candidates, political party chairmen and secretaries, as well as representatives from Civil Society Organizations, provided a platform for Mr. Yakubu to share key details. The RECs selected for deployment to Imo State were drawn from various states, including Cross Rivers, Niger, Plateau, Bauchi, Oyo, Katsina, Gombe, Yobe, and one from the Commission's office in Ekiti to offer supervisory support at the local government level.
Responding to questions from stakeholders, Mr. Yakubu assured the audience that the integrity of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) remains intact and has undergone thorough configuration and mock accreditation in the state. He emphasized that there would be no foreign figures within the BVAS at polling units, ensuring its effective functionality.
Mr. Yakubu also refuted claims by some stakeholders that collation centers had been relocated from designated locations to local government headquarters. He clarified that non-sensitive election materials had already been delivered to INEC's offices across the 27 Local Government Areas in Imo State. Furthermore, the National Union of Road Transport Workers has been mobilized to facilitate the timely transportation of election materials to polling units.
Addressing the call for the redeployment of the Imo State REC, Sylvia Agu, Mr. Yakubu stated that such a transfer or removal could only occur with substantial evidence of wrongdoing. As of now, there is no reason to remove the current Imo REC, he asserted, emphasizing the need for evidence before taking action.
Mr. Yakubu appealed to voters to participate actively and cast their votes, assuring them that INEC is committed to ensuring that their votes are accurately counted and reflected in the results.
Speaking on behalf of the police, Musa Abdullahi urged voters and residents of the state to disregard calls for a lockdown made by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
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