The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti has commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials ahead of Saturday’s June 20 governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution of the materials took place at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Ado-Ekiti.
The distribution commenced as early as 8:00a.m. under the supervision of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, and was witnessed by various security agencies and observers.
They include the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Immigration Service as well as the Department of State Services.
INEC officials assigned to each of the 16 local government areas of the state were seen signing for and collecting the materials allocated to their respective councils and loading the same into waiting vehicles with police escorts.
Speaking with journalists on the exercise, Omoseyindemi described the process as seamless, restating the commission’s readiness to conduct a violence-free, credible and transparent election.
He said the distribution of the sensitive materials started very early and was strictly supervised so as to ensure that the materials got to their intended locations early and intact.
Omoseyindemi also used the opportunity to appeal to eligible voters to come out en masse and exercise their civic responsibility for their chosen candidate on Saturday.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the governorship election in Ekiti, Mr Abayomi Shogunle, urged eligible voters to come out and exercise their franchise without any fear of harassment or intimidation.
He disclosed that stakeholders, including voters, election monitors, observers, and INEC regular and ad hoc staff, have been included in an elaborate security framework put in place by the police for the election.
Shogunle urged journalists to always verify information before publication, promising to work with the provisions of the new electoral act to deal with vote buying and other related crimes. (NAN)
