The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun distributing sensitive materials to some of the 26 states where rerun and by-elections will be held on Saturday.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu made the announcement during his visit to Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Hassan Abubakar in Abuja on Monday.
He also mentioned that due to certain challenges, the commission would require the assistance of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to deliver similar materials to states in the Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest where the elections would also be held.
Yakubu further commended NAF for their cooperation in the area of security and logistics during general and other elections in the past.
Yakubu said:
“The elections are holding this weekend. Working with the Central Bank of Nigeria, materials are being delivered to many locations.
“However, given the size and distance of some constituencies, we seek the support of NAF to expeditiously deliver materials to three locations in the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest geo-political zones of the country.
“We have already indicated the specific locations and the tonnage of materials to be airlifted.
“In nine out of the 26 states, two Senators, four members of the House of Representatives and three members of State Houses of Assembly will be elected in bye-elections to replace members who passed on or resigned their memberships of the National and Houses of Assembly.
“In other states, re-run elections will take place at designated constituencies or polling units as ordered by the Election Appeal Tribunals.
“The rerun polls will be conducted to fill vacancies in three senatorial districts, 17 Federal and 28 state constituencies spread across 80 Local Government Areas, 575 registration areas/wards and 8,934 polling units involving 4,904,627 registered voters out of which 4,613,291 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) have been collected.
“In handling such a huge national assignment, the commission cannot do it alone.
“It is in the realisation of this that the law empowers the commission to seek the support of the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the delivery of materials and the protection of election officials as provided for in Section 27(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.”
