INEC Boss says election logistics are biggest operation every four years
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has described the logistics for the clearance, handling, custody, delivery, and distribution of the enormous quantities of election materials as the biggest operation Nigeria undertakes every four years.
The INEC Chairman made the statement at the inauguration of the Electoral Logistics Committee (ELoC), held at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja.
Yakubu assured stakeholders that the Commission was determined to ensure that elections would not be postponed at the eleventh hour on account of election logistics. All hands were on deck through its proactiveness and effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders. He added that the establishment of the inter-agency committee was the Commission’s effort to ensure the speedy and safe delivery of huge quantities of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the 2023 General Election.
MEMBERS OF THE ELoC
The INEC Boss named the various agencies that would become members of the ELoC and be part of the election process. He stated, “We must mobilise all national assets. For the movement of election materials and protection of personnel nationwide, Section 27 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers the Commission to seek the support of the armed forces. Therefore, the three-armed services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) are members of the ELoC.
“Similarly, the Nigerian Police Force, being the lead agency in election security, is also a member and the sister security agencies. The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) are also members under their statutory responsibilities for the clearance and release of materials at seaports and other entry points.”
The Chairman added that “At our various airports, aviation agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency (NAMA) play important roles, including the facilitation of access to all airports nationwide for shuttle services for elections as the need arises.
“Also, the aviation handling companies, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), in the provision of ground facilities for loading and offloading of cargo at airports. In 2019, some flights conveying essential electoral materials could not land at some airports because of poor visibility. So, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) is a member of ELoC to provide expert advice on weather-related issues to facilitate proper and efficient planning and delivery of materials.”
PROGRESS REPORTS
The INEC Chairman urged the Committee to begin their meeting immediately and submit periodic reports through the Chairman of the Committee, who is an INEC National Commission. He explained that “we will track progress and know well before potential weak links in the logistics chain. We will also update Nigerians on the progress we are making regularly.”
OTHER MEMBERS OF ELoC
Other members of the Committee include; staff of the Commission, heads of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Service Corps (FRSC), the Federal Fire Service, and various Aviation agencies. Others are the President of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and heads of other transport unions in the country.
COMMITTEE’S TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Committee, which is chaired by National Commissioner, Major General Modibo Alkali (Rtd), has the following Terms of Reference (ToR);
- Develop a seamless strategic plan for the airlift, receipt, and distribution of sensitive materials;
- Determine areas of challenges or inadequacies in material storage, vehicles, aircraft, cargo, and other material delivery modes to ensure timeous delivery of materials for the election;
- Also, determine, source, and coordinate air cargo carriage and delivery to specified airports in Nigeria.
Further mandates on the Committee includes;
- Determine, source, and coordinate truck cargo carriage and delivery to specified States, Local Government Areas;
- Develop and define a workable template for the provision of security, transportation, and deployment/distribution of materials for election;
- Identify and map out difficult terrains, areas with security challenges, and crises-prone areas;
- Identify the mode of transportation to those areas;
- Co-opt any professional, person, or agency that will strengthen the work of the committee;
- Make recommendations that will assist the Commission in a successful 2023 General Election;
- Finally, submit a comprehensive report detailing an actionable plan with timelines.
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