INEC deploys four national commissioners, eight RECs for Ekiti guber poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has deployed four national commissioners and eight resident electoral commissioners (RECs) to Ekiti ahead of the state’s governorship election.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said this on Tuesday during an election stakeholders’ meeting in Ado-Ekiti.

The meeting was attended by governorship candidates, representatives of security agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

Yakubu said INEC is putting everything in place to deliver a credible poll on Saturday, adding that  sensitive materials for the election have arrived at the state headquarters of the commission in preparation for inspection by the political parties.

“For a more effective supervision of the process, we have deployed four national commissioners, eight resident electoral commissioners and many senior officials to support our state office here in Ekiti state to deliver credible elections,” he said.

Yakubu said the commission has printed the permanent voter cards (PVCs) for all valid registrants in Ekiti, adding that “of the 988,923 registered voters in Ekiti, 749,065 (or 76%) have collected their cards as at 13th June, 2022”.

He, however, added that in the last few days, the commission has received inquiries from citizens who are yet to collect their PVCs on whether the collection of cards will be suspended before the election.

“In response to these enquiries, I wish to announce that the collection of PVCs will continue in all our 16 local government area offices until Thursday, 16th June, 2022 to allow us one day — Friday, 17th June, 2022 — for movement to the registration area centres,” he said.

“I appeal to all registered voters that are yet to collect the PVCs to seize the opportunity to do so.”