The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is examining alternative storage facilities for next year’s general elections.
INEC used to safe-keep ballot papers and other sensitive materials in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) storage facility ahead of previous polls.
However, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu told reporters in Abuja that the commission has started exploring other alternatives.
Their action is to douse the controversy and perception crisis generated by the entry of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele into the presidential race on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Yakubu, who maintained that the electoral agency will not allow the perception crisis to jeopardize the conduct of the election, said there is nothing to suggest that the integrity of the apex bank is at stake.
He said: “We use CBN for storage and movement of sensitive materials. There has not been anything to doubt CBN. In the context in which the events are unfolding, our director of Litigation is in court as I speak with you because we were joined as a party. We always refrain from commenting on matters before the court.
“But we have started thinking about alternatives in case we need to change the present arrangement on the storage and movement of our sensitive materials for the next election.”
