The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to punish its officials for negligence in the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections.

INEC said the officials, including Collation and Returning Officers, found wanting in the just concluded elections will not be involved in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known during a meeting with the Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Saturday.

Yakubu said: “All staff found to be negligent, whether they are regular or ad hoc officials, including Collation and Returning Officers, must not be involved in forthcoming elections.

“RECs must also immediately initiate disciplinary action where prima facie evidence of wrongdoing has been established.

“Election Day logistics must be finalised days before the election and handled by the Electoral Officers (EOs) at Local Government level. This has been our standard practice. Centralising the process as was done in some states resulted in delayed deployment of personnel and materials and late commencement of polls.

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“RECs will be held responsible for any tardy arrangement or the failure to deploy electric power generators to collation centres or polling units where such facilities are needed.

“The Commission has enough facilities in all the states of the federation. Failure to deploy them is simply inexcusable.”

The INEC chairman disclosed that winners have been declared for 423 National Assembly seats, noting that supplementary elections will be held in 46 constituencies.

Yakubu said 98 out of 109 seats have been declared in the Senate, adding that seven political parties won senatorial seats in the just concluded elections.

He stated that 325 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives have so far been won by eight political parties.

According to the INEC chairman, in the Senate, the APC won 57 seats; APGA – 1; LP – 6, NNPP – 2; PDP – 29; SDP – 2; while YPP won 1 seat.

In the House of Representatives, the APC won 162 seats; ADC – 2; APGA – 4; LP – 34; NNPP – 18; PDP – 102; SDP – 2;  while YPP won 1 seat.

Yakubu further described the 2023 National Assembly election as the most diverse since 1999.

The INEC boss added that the Certificates of Return will be presented to Senators-elect on Tuesday, March 7 at the National Collation Centre in Abuja, while the House of Representatives-elect will receive theirs on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the same venue.

The Star