The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has led observers and party agents to confirm the sensitive materials for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections scheduled for this Saturday at the premises of the Central Bank Of Nigeria in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Obo Effanga, had earlier explained that all sensitive materials for the elections were still in the custody of the CBN before the postponement of the elections was announced by INEC on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

He had given the assurance that none of the items was compromised.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had announced the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections to February 23rd and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to March 9, following what he described as logistical challenges the commission encountered in the distribution of electoral materials.

The sudden shift of the elections had triggered a wave of criticism from different quarters, particularly the political parties, with the two main parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – accusing each other of masterminding the postponement of the polls.

Earlier, the INEC boss had offered his regrets over the postponement of the elections and assurance to Nigerians that the electoral body under his leadership was working towards conducting credible elections.

As part of measures to ensure that the polls were conducted on the rescheduled dates, the INEC boss revealed on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja, that all materials including ballot papers and result sheets, were already at the expected locations across the country.

He also said Registration Area Centres (RACs) for the elections would be activated by 9:00 am on Friday across the nation and warned that personnel and materials should be at the RATs by mid-day on Friday.

“Personnel and materials must arrive at the polling units latest 7:00am on Saturday 23 February 2019, and the opening of polls nationwide will take place at 8:00 in the morning on Saturday 23 February 2019,” he stated.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report

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