By Sam Kayode
The Borno State independent National Electoral Commission INEC says it has mobilized most of its adhoc staff going to far distances to prepare for the presidential and national Assembly election.
As at Saturday morning most of the sensitive areas in terms of the insurgency had been taken care of except areas close by which needed special attention by stake holders. .
A visit by this reporter to the office of the INEC on airport road Friday indicated that most of those who needed special accreditation as observers were equally being attended to at a tent down stairs just at the entrance of the building
Extraordinary security had also been beefed up at the entrance of the building which will serve as a situation room for the announcement of results were noticed.
Special briefings with accredited local and international observers on preparedness for today’s Presidential and National Assemblies elections have also been held by the Resident Electoral Officer Mohammed Magaji.
Magagi had hinted earlier in the week that (INEC) is to conduct some of this year’s general elections under the cover of military super camps, following persisting threats to security in four council areas of Guzamala, Abadam, Marte and Kukawa in the northern part of the state.
Magagi who was holding security meetings as at Friday when this reporter visited had hinted early this year during a parley with reporters that all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the 27 council areas of the state has been received and are in the custody of the Central of Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
As early as security can permit, materials meant for special areas would be transported to councils like Askira/Uba, Bayo and Mobbar while those who desire special escorts will be escorted directly to the super camps of Nganzai, Marte, Monguno, Damasak, Doro, Baga and Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Council area.
About 51,000 adhoc staff have been trained and mobilized to conduct the polls, while 5,071 configured Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used in Borno state.
Magagi has said early in the week that the Commission has a backup for the election in the event of malfunctioning of any of its machines in the 5,071 polling units in the state
Security
Earlier during the week, the theatre commander operation Hadin Kai General Ali had told newsmen that any insurgent who tried to topple the election exercise in the state would have them to contend with.
Ali said that even though the police is the lead agency in the management of security in the election, the military will form the final ring of security around any election operations in difficult areas where insurgency still pervades.
General Ali assured residents that their security was guaranteed adding that they had the back of every one within such troubled or black spot of Borno state especially in Northern Borno and the entire theatre of operation Hadin Kai.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is expected to provide additional air cover for the materials and ad hoc staff to the super camps of the four hard-to-reach councils before during and after the election.
Out of 149,085 Permanent Voter Cards,PVC”s 96,158 pieces had been collected, to vote today.
A total of 2.515 million votes were registered in this conflict afflicted state of over 6 million people within the 27 council areas.
