INEC SHIFTS GUBER, ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS BY ONE WEEK OVER BVAS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the Governorship and State Assembly elections fixed for March 11 to March 18.

This follows the inability of INEC to commence the reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, (BVAS) machines on time.

The Court of Appeal yesterday, gave the Commission the nod to reconfigure the BVAS machines used for the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections in readiness for the state elections.

Confirming the postponement, the Head of Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Organisation of INEC in Ondo State, FUNKE SEGUN-OSIFESO said:

“This is to inform you that the House of Assembly election has been officially postponed till Saturday 18/02/2023.

“Therefore, the distribution exercise slated for tomorrow has been cancelled. I’m sorry for the inconvenience”.

The INEC hierarchy was still meeting over the matter last night and was yet to clear the issue at press time.

Another source in INEC told newsmen that another reason the election may be postponed is insecurity.

It was gathered that following the violence that characterized the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, some Adhoc staff are afraid of coming out to conduct the March 11 elections.

The source said: “Some of the Adhoc staff are afraid to come out to conduct the elections because of what happened during the Presidential election”.

Recall that Vanguard had on Monday exclusively reported that the elections could be postponed, except the appellate court reversed itself on relief it granted the Presidential Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, ATIKU ABUBAKAR and his Labour Party, LP counterpart, PETER OBI.

Both the INEC National Commissioner in charge of the Information and Voter Education Committee, FESTUS OKOYE and the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr ROTIMI OYEKANMI were not immediately available for comments.