We are set for polls in Enugu State — INEC, security agencies
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies in Enugu State have assured of their readiness for a peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in the state.
INEC has fixed Feb. 25 for Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as March 11 for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, gave the assurance on Wednesday shortly after the Inter-agency Consultation Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held in Enugu.
“We are ready for the polls. We have deployed all non-sensitive materials to the INEC local government offices already.
“All the sensitive materials for the poll are already on ground in Enugu and by the grace of God, we will start moving them on Thursday, Feb. 23, to the INEC offices in the 17 local government areas.
“INEC will move the materials to Registration Area Centres (RAC) from its local government offices on Friday and then to polling units early Saturday morning for the polls proper,” he said.
The REC urged residents of the state to come en masse and exercise their franchise without fear or favour; as security agencies are fully on ground to protect the electorate, INEC workers and election materials.
Speaking, the Chairman of ICCES, CP Ahmed Ammani, said that the ICCES meeting was to put finishing touches on the security arrangement and strategies ahead of the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls.
Ammani, who is also the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, noted that the security agencies are ready for the polls.
He said that security agencies had jointly made deployments of officers and men to strategic offices and locations in the state in order to ensure a peaceful, free, fair and credible polls.
According to him, “We have deployed 9,214 personnel from all the security agencies for now in the state and likely more deployment will come in few days more.
“They are already deployed in the INEC state headquarters, local government and RAC offices among others. The security personnel are deployed to provide security before, during and after the polls,” he said.
The Commissioner assured the electorate that there would be adequate security provided for everybody before, during and after the elections.
“Enugu State electorate should come out en masse to vote without fear of molestation as robust security arrangements have been put in place in the state.
“I also appeal to the electorate and residents in general to be law abiding, vigilant and report any suspicious development to the nearest security personnel for necessary action,” he said.
High point of the meeting was the movement of heads of security agencies to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to inspect the sensitive election materials in safe keeping at the apex bank in Enugu.
