Voting To Hold Between 8 30 a.m and 2 30 pm- INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) it is ready for a credible Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, adding that voting will hold between 8 30 a.m and 2. 30 pm today (Saturday).

Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, said this while briefing newsmen on the Commission’s preparations for the 2023 general elections on Friday in Abuja.

He expressed satisfaction with the level of the commission‘s preparations including the distribution of election materials.

“We are glad about the progress we are making with the movement of materials to the various locations around the country.

“Having deployed these materials to the Local Government Areas, we are today devolving the deployment to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) so that early morning tomorrow the polls will open as planned.

“These RACs have been activated and election duty staff has started arriving in them.”

Yakubu said that generally speaking, the situation nationwide was calm as far as INEC preparations were concerned.

“There has been no incident involving the personnel or huge quantities of materials deployed by the Commission.

“Voter enthusiasm is high and so too is our determination to conduct credible elections,” Yakubu said.

He, however, said that INEC was aware of the situation in Imo State in the South Eastern part of the country.

Yakubu said it was reported that some of the critical polling unit officials drawn from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have withdrawn their participation from some Local Government Areas as a result of the perennial insecurity.

“From the report we received from our State office, concerns have been expressed about the security situation in Osu Local Government Area, five Wards in Okigwe and six in Orlu.

“However, we have been assured that with enough mobilisations of security personnel to the area, it is possible for elections to hold in these locations.

“I have been in touch with the IGP who will brief us on their plans to secure these locations for elections to hold peacefully when he addresses us shortly,” Yakubu said.

He said that INEC was committed to free, fair and credible elections, as well ensuring that no eligible voter is disenfranchised.

“Voting begins at 8.30am and ends at 2.30pm tomorrow. However, any voter who is on the queue before 2.30pm will be allowed to vote even if voting goes beyond the official closing time. No voter will be disenfranchised.”