#NigeriaDecides: INEC Chairman Speaks On Ongoing Voting Process

The National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is currently speaking on the ongoing Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Yakubu said the Commission is addressing the issue surrounding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the late arrival of officials at various polling units across the nation.

Naija News reports that the INEC chairman stated this on Saturday at the National Collation Center in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Yakubu said thugs attacked a polling unit in Safana Local Government area of Katsina State and carted six BVAS machines, adding that thugs  attacked another polling unit in Oshimili local government area of Delta State, and carted away two BVAS machines.

He however said that the stolen machines have been replaced while the police have recovered three out of the six stolen in Katsina state.

Yakubu Speaks On Extending Voting Time

He stated that the Commission is not considering extending the voting time in places accreditation officials came late, adding that every Nigerian on the queue will vote despite delays.

The INEC chairman added that no matter how long it takes, everyone waiting before the close of voting at 2.30 pm will be allowed to vote.

While acknowledging that officials and materials arrived at some polling units late, he said information from across the country indicate that the BVAS machines were functioning optimally.

He said an attack by suspected bandits in Alawa area of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State delayed the deployment of men and materials to the area.

Complaints

On the complaint by some parties that they could not find the tags for their agents, he said the commission allowed the parties to nominate their own agents and upload the names on a dedicated portal which they did.

“We did not interact with them directly,” he said.

He said the agents’ tags were dispatched to the states and collected by the state chairmen of the parties, adding that some of the parties failed to submit names of agents for some polling units.

Yakubu warned that the commission will not accept more than two accredited agents for the collation of results.

The INEC chairman added that a situation where people quarrel over who is the authentic party agent during collation will not be accepted.