Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi election results to be uploaded on IReV – INEC chairman

• INEC gave the assurance in Lokoja, Kogi state, on Saturday, while carrying out on-the-spot assessment of the mock accreditation and facilities

Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has reassured that the commission will transmit realtime, all results of the November 11 off-cycle governorship elections in the three states of Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo with INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

Yakubu gave the assurance in Lokoja, Kogi state, on Saturday, while carrying out on-the-spot assessment of the mock accreditation and facilities as well as readiness of the INEC office in the state for the election.

His remarks that the transmission is required by electoral laws came on the heels of statements credited to Bayelsa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ofiong Efanga, which he claimed that the results of the election will be manually collated.

“The method is as provided by law, electronic accreditation, electronic upload of results on the IREV portal and that is why we are doing this mock. So, please disregard whatever was reported about what the REC was said to have said in Bayelsa.

“That is going to be the procedure and it is for that reason that I will advise you also for those who are registered on the IREV portal, that in the next two hours or so, they should go to the IREV portal you will see the result of the mock from all the three states, we are uploading, as we have done in previous elections,” he said.

He equally spoke on the mock accreditation conducted in the the states on Saturday, and disclosed that he received pictures from Bayelsa, adding that the turnout for the mock accreditation was impressive.

“In fact, in Yenagoa, there is even a queue of voters waiting to be accredited. And we believe it is the same story that we will be hearing very soon from Imo,” he said.

Similarly speaking on the level of preparedness for the exercise, Kogi state REC, Dr Hale Longpet, said that non-sensitive materials have been received and sent to the Local Government Areas.

Longpet also disclosed that Registration Area Centres (RACs), assessments have been carried out, adding that where relocations are recommended, they have since been done.

While confirming that a training workshop has also been held with all the RAC managers, he said: “We have received 60 per cent of our budget and have also started disbursing to LGA to start those activities that need to be undertaken.

“We would like to request the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) be directed to give us our cash directly to avoid delays and problems with transportation and RAC activation,” he said.
On transport arrangements, he said

“Talks have been held with the Unions both at the State and Local Government Areas (LGAs) levels. There are no problems yet as these talks have gone very well.

“In the area of difficult terrains, we have requested support of the Commission to assist us in terms of costs of transportation of materials and personnel to some areas of the State; e.g Kupa, Egan, Kakanda, Ibaji and certain areas of Kogi (KK). Stakeholders’ Meetings: These have been held both at the State and Local Government Areas (LGAs) levels,” he said.