INEC Mobilises 46,084 Ad-hoc Staff For Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi Guber Polls

BY VICTOR BUORO – With less than a month to the November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says about 46,084 ad hoc staff will be mobilised and deployed for the exercise.

Also, the electoral Commission disclosed that arrangements have been for the accreditation and deployment of 11,000 observers from national and international organisations to be part of this off-cycle elections.

The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who made this disclosure in a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at a meeting in Abuja on Friday, said the 18 political parties participating in the gubernatorial polls would also deploy 137,934 agents comprising 130,093 polling and 7,841 collation agents to serve all through the period.

Prof Yakubu told the meeting; “While we are leaving no stone unturned in other areas of preparations for the governorship elections, the commission plans to deploy a total of 46,084 regular and ad hoc staff for the election.”

Offering further insight on INEC’s preparedness for the exercise, the Chairman said; “We have so far accredited 126 national and international organisations collectively deploying 11,000 observers for the election.”

According to him; “Although the portal for media accreditation closes on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, we have received applications from 80 media organisations seeking to deploy 1,203 personnel made up of journalists and technical/support staff to report on the elections.”

So far, reports emerging from the Commission indicate that over 29,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected by registered voters in Bayelsa and Kogi states from September 11, 2023, when PVC collection commenced in the three states to October 9, 2023, set as the deadline by the electoral umpire.

The statistics showed that while about 20,000 PVCs were collected in Kogi State, Bayelsa State recorded 9, 641 PVCs collection with the Imo State’s figures of collected PVC cards yet to be released by INEC as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman said to avoid logistical challenges that have continued to characterise Nigerian elections, the Commission is “finalising arrangements for vehicles and boats for land and maritime movement of personnel and materials” for the elections on Saturday, 11th November 2023.

This is as he further disclosed that the three elections will involve 5,409,438 registered voters in 10,510 polling units spread across 649 electoral Wards in 56 Local Government Areas of the affected states.

Stating that all non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the three States, the INEC boss said; “Other preparatory activities, including training, are on course”, adding that valuable lessons for improved performance have been learnt from the 2023 general elections.