Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday told President Buhari and members of the Federal Executive Council that it has found solutions to two critical challenges threatening the conduct of the general elections assuring that the forthcoming elections will hold as planned. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this to newsmen after a meeting with
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday told President Buhari and members of the Federal Executive Council that it has found solutions to two critical challenges threatening the conduct of the general elections assuring that the forthcoming elections will hold as planned.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this to newsmen after a meeting with the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Prof. Yakubu said the meeting with the FEC was to brief the Council about the commission’s preparedness and readiness to conduct the elections.
According to him, members of the council were taken through all the preparations put in place for the election and how challenges are being addressed.
His words:”I can tell you two of these challenges quickly. The first one is the availability of petroleum products. We had a meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and they raised that as an issue of concern.
“Immediately after that meeting, we interfaced with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and right now there’s a technical committee working.
“The idea is for them to avail us the use of their over 900 land mega stations as well as floating mega stations nationwide for the purpose of stocking products to ensure that the commission doesn’t suffer any encumbrances in the movement of personnel and materials for the elections”, he stressed.
Speaking on the second challenge being faced by the Commission and steps taken to address it,Prof. Yakubu said; “the second one is the currency issue. Again, we had an engagement yesterday with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. And he assured us that the commission will not suffer encumbrances on that score. Fortunately for us, all our accounts, national and state are with the apex bank”.
“So, we raised those challenges and we have found a solution to those challenges.
“So, be rest assured that the elections will hold as scheduled on the 25th of February for the national and on the 11th of March for the state’s elections.”
The INEC Chairman and management of the Commission have in the last few days been meeting with critical institutions and leaders of such institutions like the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Group Managing Director of NNPCL.
