INEC Deploys 22,282 Officials For Bauchi Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed 22,282 ad-hoc personnel for the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly election in Bauchi State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Nura, stated this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Bauchi.

He said the Commission had trained the personnel and addressed challenges experienced in the Presidential and National Assembly elections to facilitate the smooth conduct of the upcoming exercise.

Nura said the personnel comprised 264 Returning Officers, 542 Supervisory Polling Officers (SPOs), 5,423 Polling Officers (POs), and 16,269 Assistant Polling Officers (APOs).

He said the Commission also deployed 784 POs and APOs for additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), adding the measure was imperative to effectively man polling units created out of the congested ones.

Nura added that the Commission took delivery of sensitive election materials which would be distributed on Thursday to the 20 local government areas of the state.

On transportation, the REC said the Commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with transport unions to facilitate the smooth movement of personnel and materials in the upcoming election.

While reiterating his commitment to free, fair, and credible elections, Nura urged voters to conduct themselves peacefully during the election exercise.

“We are ready to go and appealed to the people of the state to conduct themselves orderly and peacefully during the election.

“People should turn out en masse to exercise their franchise in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.