Gov Polls: PDP Tasks INEC On Early Arrival Of Sensitive Materials

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure early arrival of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials during the November 11, 2023 governorship polls in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.

PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, stated this on Channels Television’s People’s Townhall on Election Security in Abuja on Sunday night.

He charged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to identify ringleaders of electoral violence in the three states.

“In my opinion, the ring leaders of these crises in these areas should be identified before Friday to further deflate this violence,” Bature said.

“Coming to INEC,” he continued. “One of the key issues that bring violence is late arrival of election materials. Sometimes, it is a strategy with the political party that is stronger in the areas. They (INEC officials) bring election materials late so that the election can drag late into the night and that brings about violence.

“The issue of election materials coming on time is key and now the police deploying (officers) and identifying these ringleaders in all the areas that we have identified as flashpoints.

“There are people who are already planning for violence. So, the security agencies should look at the template they have so that before they act, they are already there to protect the voters.”

The PDP chieftain said if President Bola Tinubu sustained his assurance that he has no candidate in the polls despite being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the level of violence will noticeably reduced before, during and after the polls.

Responding to the concerns raised by Bature, INEC Acting Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mary Nkem, who was also on the same panel as the PDP chieftain and the IGP on Sunday night said all the glitches experienced during the general elections earlier in the year had been taken care of.

She said INEC has put a lot of plans in place to guarantee early deployment of sensitive materials to polling units including ad hoc officers camping near polling units a day before the exercise.

“Rather than people moving from the local government headquarters to the various polling units, they are moved closer to the PUs (polling units) where they are going to work. So, I can assure you that God willing, we will deploy early,” Nkem said.

Similarly, the IGP assured voters and stakeholders in the three states that adequate security would be made available to ensure safe and peaceful polls.

Also on the panel were APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje; and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Julius Abure.