…deploys 15,545 personnel in Kwara
Stories by Mumini AbdulKareem
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 8, 2019 as the last day for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) just as it will deploy 15, 545 staff for the general elections in Kwara State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kwara State, Garba Attaihiru Madami said that voting would take place in a total of 2,886 polling points across the state, adding that no one would be disenfranchised in the election as long as they possess PVC for voting.
Madami also said that pregnant women, old people and physically challenged ones would be given preference to vote without queueing up, adding that political parties and voters would not be allowed to carry arms during the election except their PVCs.
He made this known in Ilorin the Kwara State capital on Thursday during a stakeholder’s meeting with security agencies and party leaders in the state.
Attaihiru-Madami said a total of 13, 199 ad hoc staff would be needed for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 16, with 7, 567 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to be deployed.
He said for the Governorship and House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 2, 2019, the commission would deploy 15, 545 personnel, made up ad hoc and INEC staff.
The REC also revealed that 57 candidates would be contesting for the three senatorial seats while 83 candidates would vie for the six House of Representatives seats in Kwara adding 2, 859 voting units in and 193 Registration Areas would be used in the state.
According to the REC, 29 out of the 55 political parties in Kwara signed a peace accord added adding that over 300,000 outstanding PVCs yet to be collected in the state.
He said a total of 1, 406, 457 people were registered for the Permanent Voter Card (PVC), out of which 1, 101, 246 had been collected.
The REC said to ensure that the remaining 305, 211 PVCs were collected before the February 8 deadline for collection, he had directed his staff to return to the wards between Friday and Sunday.
“As from Monday, February 28, our work schedule is 24 hours until after the elections,” he added.
He further noted that the electoral body will collaborates with anti-graft agencies like EFCC and ICPC to monitor vote buying and selling with determination to bring it down to the barest minimum.
Madami, who said that vehicles would not be allowed near polling centres during the election, added that “You can’t bring in your phone to the polling booth to snap a picture of your ballot paper to show who you’ve voted for.”
He stressed that politicians had in the past brought in money in vehicles to polling centres to buy votes.
“Now, anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC are now monitoring vote buyers and sellers because of our collaboration with them. That’s why money is not circulating in this campaign unlike before. More so, our card readers and PVC are working well now. And that’s why politicians are desperate to go for vote buying. If we succeed in this, we would have a credible election,” he said.
