2023 Polls: FCT Minister Pledges Support For INEC

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has pledged the support of the FCT administration to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conduct of the 2023 elections in the nation’s capital.

Bello made this known when a delegation from the FCT INEC led by the FCT resident electoral commissioner (REC) Alhaji Yahaya Bello paid a courtesy visit to the FCTA.

The minister who was represented by the FCTA permanent secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, said that the FCT administration and the FCT INEC have enjoyed a worthwhile working relationship and thanked the REC for the public acknowledgment of the support the FCT administration had rendered to the commission.

He thanked the commission for the preparations made so far for the conduct of the elections and said the FCT had also made efforts at sensitizing members of the public on the collection of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

“I want to believe that the FCT is among the states with a very low uncollected PVC, but we still believe that much can be done. We want a situation where hundreds of PVCs will be collected so that nobody would say it is because I did not get my PVC, and that’s why I did not vote.

“That is why we empowered the special assistant to the Hon. Minister to start ward-to-ward sensitisation in the FCT to engage the people so that everybody can collect their PVCs and get ready for the election,” he added.

The minister also said that remarks from the REC that INEC was fully prepared for the election lend credence to the commitment of president Muhammadu Buhari that he will bequeath to Nigeria, a very credible and transparent election, thereby commending the FCT INEC for its overall efforts in ensuring the success of the 2023 elections.

Earlier, the FCT REC Alhaji Bello said that the INEC delegation was at the FCTA to acquaint the FCT minister on the level of preparedness of the FCT INEC for the 2023 elections and also to thank the Minister for the support granted to the commission so far.

He assured the FCT Minister of the preparedness of INEC to successfully hold the election, saying the underperformance of the BVAS machine during the FCT Area Council elections had led to improvements being made to the equipment.