INEC suspends elections in 141 polling units over violence

So we met with security agencies and we’ve decided that voting in these 141 polling units where the materials are actually intact, will take place tomorrow morning

ADEFEMOLA AKINTADE • February 25, 2023

INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu [Photo Credit: BBC]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended presidential and parliamentary elections in 141 polling units in Bayelsa state over reports of violence.

At a press briefing on Saturday, INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said the elections have now been scheduled for Sunday, assuring that security agents have been remobilised and restored calm to the affected units.

“We have a situation in Bayelsa state, particularly in the capital of Yenogoa where in four wards — wards 4,6,8,14 involving 141 polling units, the process was disrupted,” Mr Yakubu said at the briefing.

“We remobilised security and the situation is calm for us to continue the process. But the youth corps members expressed some apprehension about going back.”

“So we met with security agencies and we’ve decided that voting in these 141 polling units where the materials are actually intact, will take place tomorrow morning. Remember, we’re not only doing presidential election, but we are also doing sénatorial and federal constituencies.”

The INEC chair said corp members serving as presiding officers of various polling units expressed their fears about returning to the violence-marred zones and agreed that the election date be shifted till the next day.

“The youth corps members who are serving as presiding officers and other commission staff, are agreeable that the elections should hold tomorrow morning.”

A similar decision was made regarding the polling units in Esan and Igueben constituencies in Edo state, where all ballot papers will be reprinted.

“In Edo state, we had a situation that we handled yesterday, one of the parties whose acronym is on the score sheet but the logo is not on the ballot paper in a federal constituency,” Mr Yakubu said.

“After meeting with the stakeholders, a decision was taken since the materials are intact. So, we have suspended the election for Esan North, Esan South and Igueben.

“The ballot papers will be reprinted and elections will now hold with the constituency elections in the next two weeks,” he added.

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