INEC wants Air Force to airlift voting materials and provide security
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Security and logistics support has been sought from the Nigerian Air Force by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the airlift of election materials to remote, rugged, and insecure nooks and crannies countrywide.
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu stressed the need for the Air Force to provide security in volatile areas as it has been doing during off-season elections when he paid a visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, in Abuja.
“On February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023, the Commission will deploy personnel and materials to about 190,000 voting and collation locations nationwide for 1,491 executive and legislative offices across Nigeria,” Yakubu told Amao.
“Beyond logistics support, the Air Force has also deployed its assets to provide security during off-cycle elections, especially in areas of difficult terrain.
“Election constitutes the most extensive mobilisation and complex logistics operations that could happen in a country in peacetime.
“These activities must take place simultaneously, stretching over 923,768km2 within a space of six voting hours (8.30am-2.30pm) involving a projected population of 90 million voters.”
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INEC can’t do it alone
In handling such a huge national assignment, Yakubu stressed, the INEC cannot do it alone as national assets must be mobilised.
“It is in realisation of this objective that the law empowers the Commission to seek the support of the security agencies in general and the Armed Forces in particular in delivering materials for election and the protection of election officials.
“Provided that the Commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials.”
Yakubu also requested the help of the Air Force in delivering election materials to Ekiti and Osun for their governorship ballots, per reporting by The PUNCH.
“There is no time to waste. The 2023 general election is only 261 days from today. However, the Ekiti State Governorship election holds in the next 10 days on Saturday, June 18, 2022 while the Osun Governorship election holds in 38 days on Saturday, July 16, 2022.
“We will seek the support of the Air Force in handling the delivery of outstanding election materials to the two states while the Commission bears responsibility for all subsequent deployment within the states to the Local Government Areas and beyond as has been the practice.”
Amao commended the INEC for strengthening the electoral process.
He promised that the Air Force will provide the INEC with support and coordination in airlifting all election materials and logistics to all remote areas to ensure a hitch free, inclusive, and fair election.
