2023: We will no longer store sensitive election materials with CBN – INEC

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has confirmed that sensitive election materials will no longer be “routed” through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Yakubu explained that although INEC has never had an issue with the CBN since the partnership started, but due to “current circumstances”, an alternative will be found.

He said the new measures would be adopted as early as the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti state.

Yakubu spoke on Saturday at an election dialogue, ‘The Electorate’, organised by Enough is Enough (EiE).

He said: “Logistics in an election is much wider than the movement of sensitive material for the election. Take the case of Ekiti for instance, all non-sensitive materials have been delivered to Ado-Ekiti and they are in all the LGAs of the state.

“But sensitive materials are usually delivered on behalf of the commission by the Central Bank of Nigeria. (CBN) which are inspected in the presence of the bank and then moved out by our own officials.

“I want to say that since INEC started this collaboration with the CBN, we have never experienced a single issue with the movement of materials. The agency has been such a good partner to the commission.

“But we appreciate the current circumstances, and it is for that reason, pending the time we find an alternative, the materials for the Ekiti election will not be routed through the CBN.

“We will move the material to the airport in Akure and move the material to our office e in Ado Ekiti and do the distribution from there. We are not going to use CBN. And when it comes to the general election, we have to look for an alternative way of doing it.”

INEC has been under pressure to sever ties with the CBN following the involvement of Godwin Emefiele, governor of the apex bank, in the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 elections.