The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano State has expressed full readiness for Saturday’s by-elections across affected constituencies, assuring voters of a free, fair, and credible process backed by tight security measures.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, gave the assurance while briefing journalists in Kano on Thursday.
He said both sensitive and non-sensitive materials had been dispatched to their designated locations, with personnel fully trained and security agencies mobilised for massive deployment.
“We are good to go. Non-sensitive materials have been in the local governments for over three weeks, batched according to registration areas and polling units. Sensitive materials have also arrived and will be distributed to local governments this evening in the presence of party agents and security officers,” Zango stated.
He explained that electoral officers and ad-hoc staff would move with materials to polling units late Friday night to ensure early morning set-up, stressing that voting would commence promptly at 8:30 a.m.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner noted that the elections would be technology-driven, with the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) configured and tested for each polling unit.
“BVAS has been configured for almost two weeks, charged, checked, and is ready for deployment. It will be used side-by-side with the voters’ register. Accreditation figures will start at zero, and voter cards are mandatory. If your card is not recognised by BVAS, you will not vote,” he warned.
Zango said an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting involving all security agencies had assured INEC of adequate protection for voters, officials, and materials.
He added that the commission had deployed over 1,400 ad-hoc staff for the exercise, with training completed over the past weekend.
PIAK