The Independent National Electoral Commission in Bauchi has signed a memorandum of understanding with transport unions to facilitate the smooth movement of personnel and materials in the upcoming general election.

The parties to the agreement are the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

INEC resident electoral commissioner in the state, Mohammed Nura, said this in an interview on Tuesday in Bauchi. He said the agreement was initially sealed at the national level and replicated at the state and local government levels.

Mr Nura said the commission was in partnership with the unions to ensure timely and effective transportation of personnel and election materials to polling units across the 20 LGAs of the state.

He said the commission had so far distributed non-sensitive materials to the local government areas, while the distribution of sensitive election materials will begin on Thursday.

The REC said the commission had trained 622 collation/returning officers and thousands of other electoral officers to facilitate the smooth conduct of the elections in the state.

He listed the trained election officers as supervisory presiding officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, and technical personnel, among others.

Mr Nura said the commission was engaging relevant stakeholders, especially the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to ensure the safe delivery of election material and peaceful elections.

While reiterating INEC’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections, Mr Nura urged voters to conduct themselves peacefully during the election.

“We are ready to go and appeal to the people of the state to conduct themselves orderly and peacefully during the elections,” he said. “People should turn out en masse to exercise their franchise in a peaceful atmosphere.” 

(NAN)