By Blessing Etim
Preparation is in full gear as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is set to deploy 12,000 ad- hoc personnel for the February 12, 2022 area council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Commission recently announced that it had deployed 2,822 of the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), as 1,373,492 registered voters are expected to participate in the elections for Chairmen and Councillors in 2,229 polling units for the FCT council elections.
Meanwhile, The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu had earlier disclosed that INEC FCT office have received sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for distribution to the area councils.
The sensitive materials which include; result sheets and ballot papers, customised in different colours according to the area council, will be deployed to their respective destinations where they will be kept under heavy security pending when they are deployed to the Registration Area Centres (RACs).
According to INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education (IVEC), Festus Okoye, the security agents that would escort the vehicles are ready, political parties and CSOs are also welcomed to escort the vehicles to their destinations.
Yaqub on his part had however assured the masses that the Commission would ensure a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming council elections in Abuja.
Recall that the Federal Capital Territory is made up of 62 wards and 6 area councils; Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
It is the responsibility of CSOs, women who constitute almost half of the country’s population, men, concerned citizens as well as the general public to fully participate in the election process.
Leaders should also facilitate the election process by enabling active participation of the masses, and ensuring that identified challenges are mitigated, if not completely eradicated, before the election.
