On Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River began the distribution of sensitive materials to the 18 local council areas for Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

The distribution commenced at INEC’s office, with the loading of Bimodal Voter Accreditation election result sheets and the ballot papers from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

All security agencies, including the paramilitary, police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the State Security Service, supervised the distribution.

Political parties participating in the polls and civil society organisations were present during the distribution.

The resident electoral commissioner, Gabriel Yomere, said the decision to invite all stakeholders to witness the exercise was to forestall any impression by anybody of any wrongdoing by the commission.

Mr Yomere disclosed that the 3,281 BVAS for the state had been configured to be used at polling units.

“They have also been charged to last for 48 hours, so we don’t envisage any problem of power as regards the usage of the BVAS. “As for the result sheets, they remained intact the way they were brought from where they came from,” he said.

At least 295 candidates in the state are jostling for the 36 elective political positions, including the governorship position, in the February 25 and March 11 general elections, according to INEC.

A breakdown of the figure showed that 11 candidates would contest the governorship seat, 28 candidates for the senatorial seats, 69 for the House of Representatives and 187 for the House of Assembly.

Only 12 out of the 17 registered political parties in the state would be fielding candidates during the elections. Meanwhile, the security agencies have reassured residents of their safety during and after the elections.

The police commissioner in charge of elections in the state, Kabiru Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of others, said all flash points in Cross River would be closely monitored.

(NAN)