The Independent National Electoral Commission in Bayelsa State says all sensitive materials meant for last Saturday’s postponed presidential and National Assembly elections have been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria in Yenagoa for proper security.
INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Leberi Sampson, told journalists yesterday the items were moved to the CBN branch in the state on Sunday after proper audit from the security agencies and over 40 political parties’ representatives.
He said: “As at yesterday morning, Sunday, INEC in conjunction with the members of political parties, about 40 of them, security operatives of all agencies; the paramilitary and military including the Police and Road Safety were here and we off-loaded the materials from the store, where they were kept local government by local government.
“Again, we did what we call audit, we check what was brought out to ensure that the materials correspond to what was given to us initially and the parties were given opportunity to see them before moving them to CBN where there are domicile.
“As I speak to you, even the materials that were not available, which is one of the reasons for postponement have been sent to us and all of them are intact at the CBN.
“I believe by Thursday, we will go and take those sensitive materials back from the CBN and share to the local governments for elections on Saturday.
“Other items you are seeing outside there are the non-sensitive materials which include the cubicles, ballot boxes, files, power generator, live-jackets that will be used by those going to riverine areas, among others. “So Nigerians should stop all these blame games on INEC because the commission alone cannot conduct free and fair elections.
“INEC is not the one selling ballot papers; INEC does not sell or buy vote, we does not sent people to go and snatch materials and we does not send thugs to cause disorder; so, it is better to support INEC and together we can achieve the credible and acceptable polls.”
