By Godfrey AKON
Ahead of Saturday, February 3 bye and re-run elections in 26 states nationwide, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has solicited the support of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, to airlift electoral materials to three locations in the North East, South East and the South West geo-political zones of the country.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who made the appeal during a visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, on Monday in Abuja, said the commission has already named the specific locations and tonnage of materials to be airlifted.
Yakubu praised the neutrality and professionalism of the Nigerian Air Force in particular and armed forces in general in discharging their responsibilities as there has been no unhappy incidents or compromise on the part of the officers and airmen.
“I would like to commend NAF for your cooperation in the area of election security and logistic support for the timely delivery of materials during general elections, off-cycle elections, bye-elections, supplementary elections and re-run elections.
“I want to place on record the neutrality and professionalism of NAF in particular and armed forces in general in discharging your responsibilities. There has been no unhappy incidents or compromise on the part of your officers and airmen,” he said.
The INEC chairman noted that evacuation of materials from focal airports to the states where election will hold will be handled by the commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as has been the standard practice.
He added that inspection and movement of all materials to the various local government areas and beyond will be done with the full participation of all stakeholders, particularly agents of political parties and candidates, observers and the media in a transparent manner.
He said “the Commission will conduct bye-elections and re-run elections in 26 States of the Federation. In nine States, two Senators, four members of the House of Representatives and three members of State Houses of Assembly will be elected in bye-elections to replace members who passed on or resigned their memberships of the national and State Assemblies.
“In other States, re-run elections will take place at designated constituencies or Polling Units as ordered by the Election Appeal Tribunals. In all the elections will fill vacancies in three Senatorial Districts, 17 Federal and 28 State Constituencies spread across 80 Local Government Areas, 575 Registration Areas/Wards and 8,934 Polling Units involving 4,904,627 registered voters out of which 4,613,291 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) have been collected.”
Responding, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar, who assured the commission that NAF remain willing, able and ready to continue supporting INEC, reminded the INEC chairman that there were some outstanding bills which are yet to be cleared by the commission.
Abubakar added that the settlement of those bills will enable the Nigeria Air Force to serve INEC better.
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“I would like to seize this opportunity to remind the Chairman that there are some outstanding bills which are yet to be cleared by INEC. The settlement of those bills will enable us to serve you better,” he said.
He said “The successful conduct of elections is largely hinged on robust security and well-choreographed logistics supply chain management.
“The Nigerian Air Force has been INEC’s dependable partner in providing security in addition to rapid airlift for the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials across the country.
“I assure you that we remain willing able and ready to continue supporting INEC as we have always done in the past.
“Our beloved country stands out as a shining example for other nations of the world and is well renowned as the largest economy and democracy in Africa.
“The success of our democracy has been underpinned by strong institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission, which works tirelessly to allow all citizens to enjoy the right to decide who should govern them in free and fair elections.
