The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Oyo State on Tuesday said that it has received about ninety (90), per cent non-sensitive materials needed for the conduct of the 2019 general elections billed to take place on Saturday 16th February and Saturday 2nd March across the state.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Mutiu Agboke who made this disclosure while addressing journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Ibadan, the state capital, however, lamented that 846,417 uncollected permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) are still in the commission’s custody.
Agboke who declared that the commission was ready for the conduct the elections, maintained that personnel needed for the elections have been trained.
He added that the last day for the collection of the PVCs remains Friday, 8th February, after which the remaining PVCs would be taken to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for proper keeping.
He said, “About 90 per cent non-sensitive materials have been received at the state level. We have been able to receive voting cubicles, generating sets and other materials already being deployed to local government INEC offices. Ballot for the presidential/ governorship election will be in red, senatorial/house of Assembly has black, while House of Representatives is to be green ballot boxes respectively.
“The collation centre building for this coming election is presently being constructed at the state office and should be ready for use before the commencement of general election. It is expected that, sensitive materials will soon he coming in as from next week and party agents together with journalists will also be invited to witness the distribution of these materials.
“We have been able to receive a total number of 2,962,646 PVCs from 2015 till date. Out of this figure, 2,116,229 PVCs have so far been collected.
“However, we still have a total number of 846,417 PVCs left uncollected. In Oyo State, we have a total number of 2,934,107 registered voters. Since the use of PVCs and smart card readers (SCRs) remain the game changer in the coming election, the commission has a total figure of 7,336 SCRs available out of which 6,390 SCRs will be required to take care of 6,390 polling units I’m Oyo state.
Agboke while speaking on the readiness of the commission added that the commission had trained security personnel needed for the elections.
He said, “We have been able to train security personnel at both state and senatorial district levels. Recruitment and training of 351 SPOs while 28,352 APOs have been concluded. Collation officers and returning officers’ training are to begin very soon. Oath forms are to be administered to all these categories of Ad-hoc staff expected to participate in the coming elections.
“There are 58 political parties with presence in this state. Oyo South Senatorial district has 21 candidates, Oyo Central has 21 candidates while Oyo North has a total number of 18 candidates, making a total number of 60 candidates jostling for the three senatorial seats. There are 7 females contesting for senatorial posts in all. In all, there are 26 female contestants out of 202 candidates for the 14 federal constituencies of the state. There are 654 candidates with 49 political parties contesting for the 32 state constituencies.
“We are going to recall all these PVCs, we are going to keep them in the CBN after the collection day has lapses.
“Gentlemen of the media, let me conclude by re-emphasising on some innovations put in place by the commission for the smooth conduct of this general elections. The use of enhanced SCRs, using PVCs as tool to vote, the prohibition of the use of mobile phone within the perimeter of the voting cubicle to avoid vote buying”.
