The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said on Wednesday all sensitive materials for the Anambra State governorship election slated for the weekend are in Awka, the state capital.
Yakubu’s clarification addressed the previous announcement made by the INEC that sensitive materials for the election would be brought into the state from Imo State.
The INEC chief, who stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Awka, said the materials were in safe hands.
He added that the commission would on November 4 invite the candidates, the media, election monitors, and other stakeholders to witness the deployment of the materials to the 21 local government areas in the state.
Yakubu said: “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra State has just briefed us on our detailed preparations for the election, including logistics and the recruitment, training, and deployment of election duty staff.
Non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
“The sensitive materials are secured in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch here in Awka. As is always the case on the eve of major elections, INEC will invite political parties, civil society organisations, and the media to the CBN tomorrow, Thursday, November 4, 2021, to inspect the sensitive materials and to witness their movement to the various Local Government Areas under security escort.
“By the same arrangement, the materials will be delivered to the Registration Areas or Wards on Friday, November 5, 2021, to facilitate the opening of Polling Units at 8:30 a.m. on Election Day i.e. Saturday, November 6, 2021.
I want to assure all voters in Anambra State that in designing the sensitive materials for the election, the commission has introduced additional visible and invisible security features, including different colour codes. Materials have also been customised by Local Government Areas and Polling Units.”
