The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended elections in 141 polling units in four Wards of Bayelsa State due to insecurity.
The Commission said the Presidential and National Assembly elections, which ought to hold on Saturday couldn’t take place because Corps members expressed some apprehension about going back to the polling units.
Addressing journalists during the second briefing at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Saturday, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the elections in the four wards of Yenogoa will hold on Sunday as the Commission has met with security agencies to finalise the mobilisation process.
According to him, “In Bayelsa State particularly in the capital were in four wards, Ward 4, 6, 8, and 14 involving 141polling units. The process was disrupted.
“We remobilised security to proceed with the process but the Corps members expressed some apprehension about going back, so we met with the security agencies and decided that voting in these 141 polling units where all the materials are actually intact will take place tomorrow (Sunday) morning.
“Remember we are not only conducting the presidential election but we’re also doing senatorial and federal constituencies, so we will do as much as possible to conduct the elections so that we can conclude the processes.
“So we have an agreement to hold the election in these locations tomorrow (Sunday).”
In Gwoza, Borno State, he said there were security breaches like a one-millimeter mortar attack on two facilities, including a filling station near INEC Office but no damage to INEC facilities.
“I want to voice that the military has confirmed that it was a one-millimeter M1 mortar on two facilities, including a filling station near INEC Office but no damage to INEC facilities and no casualties, some were injured and they are in the hospital, we wish them a speedy recovery.
“But no destruction of INEC facilities and no disruption of the process. So, that is the updated report of Gwoza.
He said there were issues in Abia, Imo, Kebbi, and other places but the process was ongoing until the last person in the queue before 2:30pm votes.
“In Imo, the process is ongoing except for a few areas marred by insecurity, but the voting in Kebbi is ongoing,” he said.
In Lagos State, he said the Commission was closely monitoring the situation, noting that voting was ongoing.
“In Lagos, we have been closely following the situation in Okota, Mafoloku, Oshodi, and Elegushi. We have been able to normalise the situation in a number of places and voting is ongoing, so we will keep our eyes on the processes in the other areas that I had mentioned.
“In a large number of polling units, voting is closed and sorting and counting have commenced between now and the last briefing. We have taken up a proactive step by meeting with the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and the commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, the idea is to strengthen security as we move into the next stage of the process, which is a collation of results in locations where voting has been concluded at the polling units,” he said.
The INEC chairman also said the collation centre will open on Sunday at 12:00 pm for collation of results of the presidential election from States of the Federation.
He added that the Commission has been responding to some of the situations as they arise.
“And we’re going to do so even overnight. we will open the Collation centre tomorrow by 12:00pm, so this is an update on the situation mentioned earlier.
“But as I said, observers, the media, and all others are also keeping their eyes on the processes,” Prof. Yakubu added.
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