THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has received a “substantial part” of the funds it requested from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amidst the currency crisis.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, verified the receipt of the funds today during a press conference in Abuja on the commission’s activities two days before the presidential and National Assembly elections.
This comes two weeks after Yakubu met with CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele on February 7 to discuss the need for funding for logistical activities during the election.
“The bulk of the small amount of cash that we have requested from the Central Bank of Nigeria is right now being released to the commission’s offices nationwide,” he said.
“In fact, a substantial part of it has already been received by our offices nationwide and this has greatly facilitated the movement of sensitive materials yesterday from the branches of the Central Bank to our local government areas.
“By tomorrow, we’ll batch them and then move them on Friday to the registration area centres. And then on Saturday early morning, they’ll be moved to the polling units for voting.”
Addressing security worries about the polls, Yakubu assured all stakeholders that the voting process will take place in a safe environment.
The INEC chairman in December 2022, stated that the commission had been subjected to 50 attacks in 15 states since 2019.
He did, however, say that the commission has recovered and that security forces are on the ground for the polls to ensure necessary protection for voters, workers, and observers.
“Several of the commission’s facilities were attacked by unknown assailants in various parts of the country.
“I am pleased that we have fully recovered from these attacks and we have been further assured that our facilities, staff, voters, observers, the media, and citizens will be safe during the election,” he said.
On vote-buying, Yakubu expressed conviction that INEC’s joint operations with other agencies before and on election day would “vastly reduce” the prospect of voter inducement which he described as not only illegal but also immoral.
“The ban on the use of mobile phones and photographic devices at the voting cubicles is still in force. Our arrangement of placing the ballot boxes near the voting cubicles and away from the party agents remains,” he said.
