The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday disclosed that the commission is ready to conduct governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
Yakubu who stated this in Lokoja during a stakeholders meeting ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa state, said the commission has completed 12 out of the 14 schedules slated to be carried out before the election, assuring that the remaining two schedules would be completed before the last day of political campaigns.
“With only four days to the election, the commission is ready for the election. We have completed 12 out of 14 schedules for the election, all non-sensitive materials has been distributed to the 21 local government areas in Kogi state while the sensitive materials is also ready but in custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The distribution of the sensitive materials will be done in the presence of security agents, Civil Society Organization, media and other critical stakeholders” he said
While reiterating that the smart card readers would be used during the election, the INEC Chairman frown at voters inducement during election , urging the security agents to monitor such activities that is against the law.
Earlier, the National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa and Niger state , Mohammed Haruna, said the purpose of the stakeholders meeting was emphasized on the need for peaceful election in Kogi state.
He lamented that in the past elections in the state was marred by ballot box snatching and other electoral violence , promising that this time around INEC is desirous of conducting violent free election.
He appealed to the political actors to do the right thing during the election that would pave room for peaceful coexistent after the election.
Meanwhile, the director general , National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim , called on the youth corps members to imbibe the virtue of fairness, transparency that have been the hallmark of the youth service.
He appealed to security agents and traditional rulers to ensure the safety of the corps members, saying they were in the state to serve their father’s land.
The DG also promised to sustained the collaboration between NYSC and INEC in order to move the country forward especially in the area of election.
