By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the electoral body’s sensitive election materials will no longer be “routed” through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this on Saturday at an election dialogue, ‘The Electorate’, organised by a pressure group, Enough is Enough (EiE).
Yakubu said the electoral body has never had an issue with the CBN since the partnership started, but due to “current circumstances”, an alternative will be found.
He said the new measures would be adopted as early as the June 16 governorship election in Ekiti state.
Although the INEC boss did not disclose the “current circumstances” which gave rise to the development, but it may not be unconnected to the controversy that greeted the political ambition of CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Several groups, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had called on INEC to stop routing sensitive election materials through the apex bank in the heat of the controversies.
Stakeholders had equally expressed concerns about the sanctity of election materials kept with CBN, following the partisanship of the apex bank’s governor, who had openly expressed his bid to contest the APC presidential primary.
The PDP had particularly called for the removal of Emefiele from his position as CBN Governor after it was confirmed he is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party said the CBN Governor, having been a member of the ruling party, could no longer be trusted with INEC sensitive materials which were important to guarantee of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.
