Musa Na Allah Sokoto
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sokoto State office has re-strategize with a view to ensuring that Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections are conclusive, free, fair, and credible
The remarks followed the postponement of the 11th March elections to Saturday, 18 March 2023.
The Supervisory National Commissioner of INEC, Major General Modibbo Alkali who was deployed to Sokoto from the Commission’s headquarters to assist the Administrative Secretary and Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Barr. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa in the conduct of the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly Elections disclosed this in a statement, saying that preparations by INEC with regard to the Elections were in top gear.
Gen. Alkali said part of the preparations for the successful conduct of the elections is the engagement of various key stakeholders such as security agencies, political party leaders, and civil society and media organizations in preparation for the elections.
“Such engagements according to the statement include INEC’s conduct of a series of engagement meetings with Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), Party leaders, and Media organizations with a view to analyzing the shortcomings in the Witnessed in Presidential and National Assembly Elections with a view to making correction.
“The National Commissioner and the Management team of INEC Sokoto have also engaged the services of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Management of NNPC Mega Station Sokoto, and some Independent Petroleum Marketers to ensure steady and easy supply of fuel to NURTW at the official pump price to forestall the delay in deployment of Men and Materials to Polling Units on the day of Election.
“The National Commissioner and the Acting REC conducted refresher training to Supervisory Presiding Officers and Collation Officers on Wednesday the 8th of March and Monday the 13th of March, 2023 so as to prepare them ahead of the rescheduled elections.
“Sensitization outreach was also organized on Saturday and Sunday the 11th and 12th of March, 2023, by the Department of Voter Education and Publicity, in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (N.O.A), National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.”
The statement further disclosed that the National Commissioner and the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Sokoto along with all stakeholders visited the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sokoto Branch to inspect and sort out sensitive Election Materials for early distribution to LGAs.
“The ICCES members consist of all heads of the Security agencies under the co-chair of the Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Usaini Gumel assured that the committee has deployed additional state-of-the-art antiriot and crowd control equipment to checkmate political thuggery and related electoral offenses on the election day.
“The commission however reiterated its total commitment and readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible Election that will be acceptable to all.”
