TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that all election materials would be deployed to all states of the federation in good time for the 2015 general election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Jibrin Zarewa, gave this assurance at a news conference in Gusau on Friday.

Previous elections have been marred by shortage of materials, leading to questions on the capacity of INEC and the credibility of the polls.

Adequate arrangements were being made by the commission throughout the country to ensure that all lapses recorded during 2011 general election were addressed, he disclosed, adding that the materials for the smooth take-off of voter registration were already at the state offices of the commission.

He said the materials would be distributed to all the wards of the federation between May 23 and 25 and would be kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria state offices.

“This will definitely take care of late arrivals and will be easier to distribute when the actual day comes,” he said, explaining that while the temporary voter card would be withdrawn, all eligible voters would be given permanent voter cards based on “personal appearance”.

He said the commission had established stakeholders committees in all the states to create awareness among the public over the voter registration.

He urged all eligible voters to avail themselves at their respective wards for the exercise which would be carried out between May 28 and June 1, 2014.

He also disclosed that the commission now had a robust databank that had the capacity to capture all eligible voters in the country.