By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday inaugurated the Electoral Logistics Committee (ELOC) for 2023 general election in Abuja, toward a hitch-free poll.

Speaking at the ceremony, Yakubu said that inaugurating the committee was critical to the successful conduct of the 2023 election.

He said that the idea was to ensure all logistics needed for the smooth conduct of the election were in place at all times.

Yakubu said that flights conveying essential elections materials for 2019 poll couldn’t land easily in some airports due to poor visibility, thereby hampering the smooth conduct of the election.

“I urge you to commence your meeting immediately and be submitting periodic reports through the chairman of the committee who is an INEC National Commissioner.

“In this way, we will be tracking progress and know well in advance potential weak links in the logistics chain.

“We will also be updating Nigerians of progress we are making on regular basis. We are determined that never again should elections be postponed at the eleventh hour on account of logistics.

“That is why we are mobilising every national asset and starting the engagement early.On this note, it is my pleasure to formally inaugurate the Electoral Logistics Committee for the 2023 general election,” he said.

Yakubu added:“Your work beings in earnest as some of the critical materials for the election have started arriving.

“I am confident that working together we will deliver materials to all locations nationwide in good time.”

He said that for effective coordination, INEC believed that every national asset must be mobilised.

He said that for the movement of election materials and protection of personnel nationwide, section 27(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 empowered INEC to seek for the support of the armed forces.

“Accordingly, the three armed services (Army, Navy and Air Force) are members of ELoC.

“Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force, being the lead agency in election security, is also a member as well as the sister security agencies.

“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) are also members pursuant to their statutory responsibilities for the clearance and release of materials at seaports and other entry points into the country,” he said.

Yakubu said that Nigerian airports, aviation agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Air Space Management Agency (NAMA) would also play important roles in the election. (NAN)

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