Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) says it is ready and will conduct the 2023 general election as scheduled.
Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu gave the assurance on Wednesday in an interview with State House Correspondents, soon after he briefed the Federal Executive Council on level of preparedness for the conduct of election.
He identified scarcity of petroleum products and the new currency as major challenges confronting INEC but solutions are already in sight.
He said: “We took members of the Council through all the preparations that we have put in place for the election and the few challenges that we are facing and the steps we have taken to address them.
“The first one is the availability of petroleum products. We had a meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and they raised that as an issue of concern. Immediately after that meeting, we interfaced with the leadership of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC).
“Right now there is a technical committee working; the idea is for them to avail us the use of their over 900 land mega as well as floating mega stations nationwide for the purpose of stocking products to ensure that the Commission doesn’t suffer any encumbrances in movement of personnel and materials for the election.
“The second one is the currency issue and again we had an engagement yesterday with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and he assured us that the Commission will not suffer any encumbrances on that front. Fortunately for us, all our accounts, national and state are held by the apex bank. So, we raised those challenges and we have found solutions to those challenges so be rest assured that the elections are going to be held as scheduled; on the 25th of February for National and on the 11th of March for the State election. “
The INEC Chairman said the briefing he gave the Federal Executive Council was a usual practice associated with general election.
He also said he will again brief the Council of State on Friday, February 10, 2023.
Voice of Nigeria’s Correspondent reports that before Yakubu briefed council members,
a minute silence was observed in honour of Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (retd), former minister of special duties under General Yakubu Gowon.
He was a member of General Murtala Muhammed’s supreme military council in Nigeria between July 1975 and March 1976, and was military governor of Plateau State from March 1976 to July 1978 after it had been created from part of the old Benue Plateau State.
N.O
