BEVERLY HILLS, March 27, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Friday said it will conduct Saturday’s presidential election and national assembly elections in only 8 out of the 27 local government areas in Borno State, citing security concerns.
INEC’s Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Madaki, announced the development in Maiduguri, the state capital.
INEC declared19 local government areas in the state, which is an APC controlled state, unsafe to conduct the poll.
Nigerian troops are presently engaged in counter-terrorism operations to crush Boko Haram fighters operating in the state.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner told journalists during a briefing that the state was classified into three by INEC, namely safe, unsafe (high risk) and relatively safe.
Disclosing that the high risk areas are 12 , the relatively safe are 10 and those safe enough are five, he said election are going to be held in the safe local government areas and some of the relatively safe councils including Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere, Magumeri, Bayo, Kwaya-Kusar, Hawul, Shani, Damboa and Gubio.
Maintaining that 70, 485 displaced victims of Boko Haram in various Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps who are registered voters in Borno would be allowed to vote, Madaki said adequate arrangements had been made to ensure that displaced persons from other local governments are not disenfranchised as they will be given opportunity of voting at IDPs camps.
According to Madaki, “There are 70, 485 displaced persons who are registered voters from 16 local governments at IDPs camps in Maiduguri. We’ve made adequate arrangement for them to vote. The security agencies will be providing security for them.”
He also said a total of 1,763,860 permanent voters cards (PVC) were received by the commission in Borno out of 1,838,514 registered voters, adding that 1,417,750 have been distributed so far.
He however lamented that INEC could not make available PVCs for all registered voters , saying “Over 18, 000 PVCs are still being expected” even as he assured that some would receive their PVCs from the new delivery after Saturday’selection.
According to him, 25,125 adhoc staff have been engaged for the elections which will be held in 312 wards and at 3,928 polling units while over 300 observers registered with the national headquarters of the commission.
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