The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is planning to deploy 46,084 staff for the November 11 off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the commission’s regular quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Friday.

Yakubu also said that 137,934 party agents representing the 18 political parties comprising 130,093 polling and 7,841 collation agents would also be on the field at the poll.

“While we are leaving no stone unturned in other areas of preparation for the governorship elections, the commission plans to deploy a total of 46,084 regular and ad hoc staff for the election.

“We have so far accredited 126 national and international organisations, and currently deploying 11,000 observers for the election.

“Although the portal for media accreditation closes on Tuesday, October 24, we have received applications from 80 media organisations seeking to deploy 1,203 personnel made up of journalists and technical/support staff to report on the elections.

“The 18 political parties participating in the elections are deploying 137,934 agents made up of 130,093 polling and 7,841 collation agents.
“We are also finalising arrangements for vehicles and boats for land and maritime movement of personnel and materials,” he said.

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Yakubu said that such massive deployment required a secured environment which he said was beyond the commission’s immediate responsibility.

Reiterating the commission’s concern about the prevailing insecurity and election-related violence in the three states, Yakubu said that INEC had been reassured of adequate deployment by the security agencies.

The INEC boss expressed confidence that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would perform better in the Nov.11 election.

Yakubu said that so far, all non-sensitive materials for the election had been delivered to the three states.

He said that the election would involve 5,409,438 registered voters in 10,510 polling units spread across 649 electoral wards in 56 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The Star