Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Saturday evening said elections in 141 Polling Units in Bayelsa state and a senatorial district in Edo state have been rescheduled. Prof Yakubu who disclosed this while giving update on Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election said election process was disrupted in four
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Saturday evening said elections in 141 Polling Units in Bayelsa state and a senatorial district in Edo state have been rescheduled.
Prof Yakubu who disclosed this while giving update on Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election said election process was disrupted in four wards comprising 141 Polling Units in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state forcing the adhoc staff to express apprehension. He however, said the National Youth Corps members have agreed to go back to duty adding that election will now hold in the affected areas on Sunday.
Also, he said there was a development in Edo state where one of the parties in the National Assembly election complained that although the parties acronym was on the result sheet, it was missing on the ballot paper.
He said the Commission had decided to countermand the election in Esan North, Esan South and Egwebe local government area of the state stressing that new ballot papers would be printed and the affected National Assembly election will now hold on March 11, 2023.
Prof. Yakubu said as the electoral process moves to the next stage – sorting and counting of ballot papers, the Commission has taken a pro active step by meeting with the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
According to him, the idea of the meetings, is to strengthen security as the Commission moves to the next stage of the process which is the collation of results in location where voting has been concluded at the Polling Units.
Speaking on the attack at Goza , Borno state, Prof Yakubu said the the military has confirmed attack on two facilities including a filling station near INEC office but said there was no damage to INEC facilities and no causalities stressing that some people who were injured are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
On the snatching of BVAS machines in Katsina state by hoodlums, Prof. Yakubu said security agents arrested the hoodlums and recovered three of the six machines snatched.
The INEC boss said normalcy was restored to Okota, Mafoluku, Osodi,Elegushi and Ikate where electoral process was disrupted stressing that anyone on the queue at 2:30pm would be allowed to vote.
He said the Commission is making steady progress adding that no Nigerian would be disenfranchised in the electoral process.
