INEC withdraws sensitive election materials custody from CBN

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), has announced the withdrawal of sensitive electoral materials from the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), following the alleged stillborn presidential attempt of its Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

He said the commission took the decision to prevent such materials from being compromised. The decision by INEC to withdraw the sensitive materials from the CBN’s custody could not be far from the failed presidential attempt by the CBN governor.

Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure in Abuja at a symposium with the theme “The Electorate: A Conversation on Elections in Nigeria.”

Giving update on preparation for the Ekiti governorship election, Yakubu said: “In respect of the Ekiti governorship election holding on the June 18, 2022, the Commission will deliver all the sensitive materials meant for the election directly to our office in Ado-Ekiti and distributed to the 16 local government Areas of the State. The Commission is looking at the same situation with regard to the Osun governorship election holding on the June 16, 2022.”However, the direct delivery of the sensitive materials to Ekiti and Osun are interim measures pending further discussions with the CBN ahead of the 2023 General Election. I commend the handling of materials by CBN since the collaboration started as there has not been a single incident of failure in that regard,” he said.