Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-02-02 13:24:14
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has announced that only 121,111 registered voters possess Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to vote at Saturday’s by-election in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of the state. This information was disclosed by the INEC’s spokesman in Lagos State, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos. Gbadegesin spoke ahead of the distribution of sensitive materials to various registration areas (wards) in the constituency.
According to Gbadegesin, there are 258 polling units spread across the six wards that make up the Surulere 1 Federal constituency, and the commission has provided 258 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and 24 backup BVAS devices, bringing the total number of BVAS to 282. The affected constituency has a total of 140,377 registered voters, and 121,111 of them have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which translates into about 86.3% of the voting strength in the area.
The commission had begun the distribution of sensitive materials for Saturday’s poll from the INEC Office in Surulere Local Government to various Registration Area Centres (RACs) in the area. These materials include ballot papers and result sheets that were received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Lagos. The Electoral Officer had started distributing the materials to Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) at the council for onward distribution to Presiding Officers (POs) at the RACs. Every preparation had been made for timely opening of the polling unit for a successful by-election in the constituency.
The by-election, scheduled for February 3rd, 2024, became necessary as the seat fell vacant due to the resignation of the former occupant, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as his Chief of Staff.
The exercise of taking delivery of sensitive materials was monitored by representatives of political parties, security agencies, and other stakeholders. Twelve candidates from different political parties will be contesting in the election. It is evident that the INEC in Lagos State has made thorough preparations for the by-election, and they are ready for this significant electoral event.
In conclusion, the distribution of PVCs and sensitive materials, as well as the comprehensive preparations by the INEC indicate a commitment to ensuring a smooth, successful, and transparent electoral process in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency. The commission’s adherence to due process and the careful management of electoral materials and procedures is essential in maintaining the integrity and trust of the electoral system. Therefore, it is imperative for all stakeholders and citizens to engage responsibly in the electoral process and exercise their voting rights conscientiously.
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