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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Distribution of materials for Saturday’s national elections was stalled in Asaba, Delta State following the absence of non-sensitive materials for the House of Representatives election in the state.
The exercise could not commence despite the availability of materials for categories of the elections including the presidential and senatorial.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state had announced that the commission would be distributing the materials for the 2023 general elections on Wednesday at the Central bank, Asaba.
But the commission’s officials led by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Monday Udoh-Tom, waited for hours without making progress with the exercise as the non-sensitive materials were not available for the House of Representatives election.
Other stakeholders including journalists were stranded at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) head office in Asaba, waiting the materials.
Although, Udoh-Tom disclosed that materials for the presidential and senatorial elections were complete, political stakeholders insisted that distribution would not commence until materials for all the elections were available.
He blamed the situation on weather condition which has caused the delay of the flight conveying the materials from Abuja.
Udoh-Tom disclosed that the non-sensitive for the presidential and senatorial arrived before Wednesday.
Delta State chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr. Emeka Bidokwu, stated that materials would not be moved from CBN in piece meal but must be complete.
As at the time of filing this report, the material were yet to be distributed.
