The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that it will begin the distribution of sensitive materials for the upcoming election on Thursday, as part of its preparations for the poll.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, made this statement on Wednesday during an inspection of the materials at the Akure office of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to the REC, the purpose of the inspection was to demonstrate the commission’s commitment to transparency to stakeholders in preparation for the forthcoming election.
Babalola emphasised that showing stakeholders that the sensitive materials were still sealed and untampered with would prove the commission’s determination to deliver a free, fair, and credible election.
She said, “We have our schedule for the distribution of materials. We received the materials on Monday, scheduled the inspection for Wednesday, and the distribution will take place on Thursday.
“The reason we invited key stakeholders such as security officers, political parties, observers, and the media to this inspection is to ensure transparency in the handling of the sensitive materials as they were received. As you can see, they are well-wrapped, and no one has tampered with them.”
Representatives from the participating political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and officials of the commission were present at the event.
