We are set for polls, INEC says

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is set for the rescheduled general elections which were delayed by six weeks on security concerns.The commission said it had so far distributed 55.233 million of a total of 68.8 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), representing 80.24 percent level of distribution.It also said it was happy with […]

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is set for the rescheduled general elections which were delayed by six weeks on security concerns.
The commission said it had so far distributed 55.233 million of a total of 68.8 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), representing 80.24 percent level of distribution.
It also said it was happy with the improvement in the security situation in three troubled states, the main reason for which the elections were re-scheduled from February 14.
The commission said all preparations towards the elections beginning with the presidential poll on March 28 have continued in full throttle.
National commissioner in charge of information and voter education Chris Iyimoga announced this at a briefing for reporters at INEC headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
INEC is focussed and would not be distracted in anyway, he said in response to a question about calls for change in leadership at the commission.
“Is the clamour for the removal of the INEC boss a distraction, I will say no because we are very focused … and the country should expect nothing less than the best elections,” he said.
He added that ballot papers as well as the ballot boxes had been distributed to all the 36 states and the FCT.
He said INEC is set to test run the card readers in two selected states from each of the six geopolitical zones on Saturday, to be supervised by National Commissioners.
“As we speak Smart Card Readers (SCRs) have been distributed to the states – enough for all the voting points.
“Even though the Commission had satisfactorily tested the Smart Card Readers before the re-scheduling of the elections, it is to further conduct more rigorous field testing of the functionality of the SCRs which will be deployed for accreditation of voters on election day.
The states selected are: Ekiti and Lagos, (South West); Anambra and Ebonyi, (South East); Delta and Rivers, (South South); Kano and Kebbi, (North West); Bauchi and Taraba, (North East) and Niger and Nasarawa, (North Central).
He said ballot papers for all the elections were received since mid February and taken to the states.
“They are securely locked at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vaults across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), awaiting further distribution on the eve of each of the elections.”
He added that the collection of PVCs would end on Sunday March 8.