INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, paid a visit to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar on Monday in Abuja.
During the meeting, it was revealed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans to collaborate with the Nigeria Air Force for the distribution of election materials in the North East, South East, and South West geopolitical zones.
Professor Yakubu emphasized the necessity of this visit, citing the upcoming bye-elections and re-run elections scheduled to take place in 26 states of the Federation on Saturday.
These elections will address vacancies in three Senatorial Districts, 17 Federal and 28 State Constituencies, covering 80 Local Government Areas, 575 Registration Areas/Wards, and 8,934 Polling Units.
The total number of registered voters is 4,904,627, with 4,613,291 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) already collected.
The INEC Chairman highlighted that the law empowers the Commission to seek support from security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies for the delivery of materials and protection of election officials, as outlined in section 27(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
He informed the Chief of the Air Staff about the specific locations and tonnage of materials to be airlifted.
Professor Yakubu commended the Armed Forces for consistently maintaining neutrality and professionalism during election operations.
In response, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, assured the INEC Chairman of the Nigeria Air Force’s commitment to supporting the Electoral Body in conducting free, fair, and credible elections.
He also mentioned that the materials could be delivered earlier, considering the capacity of the available aircraft.
