The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that its state offices are already accessing the cash made available by the Central Bank of Nigeria for election purposes.
Yakubu stated this during a meeting with leaders of the Foreign Observation Missions on Wednesday.
INEC had presented its cash requirement for prosecuting the forthcoming elections to the CBN, as requested by the apex bank.
The commission said even though it does most of its payments through online transfers, some specific services had to be paid for in cash.
Yakubu said despite the challenges bedeviling the country as it prepares for election, the commission played its part in ensuring smooth elections.
One of such moves was the cash assessment, noting that the CBN has made available small cash to carry out election activities which the state offices are currently assessing.
Yakubu said, “For the cash matter, we need a little bit of money in cash. Again, we engaged with the CBN and it has made available the small amount of cash that is required to pay for services that we cannot pay for electronic transfer. So all the State offices are accessing the cash for the basic purposes. The bulk of payment is by electronic transfer and we do so for services as well.
“This election is being conducted under some challenges and circumstances which you have already heard of; the fuel situation in the country, naira crisis and the security issues. But we went out of our way to mobilise every national institution for this election.
“We have talked to the oil national company. We have made an arrangement for the supply of fuel for the vehicles moving personnel and materials for the election, especially with the boat owners and the road transport workers. We are very happy with the arrangement we have made with them.
“On security, we have been in touch with security agencies. It is their responsibility to secure the environment for the elections.”
The INEC Chairman reassured that the election will be held as scheduled.
Expressing confidence in the performance of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System on Saturday, Yakubu explained “Like every new technology, initially, it will present its own challenges. But, in the last elections in Osun and Ekiti, the BVAS performed well.
“But this is the first time that we are deploying the machines for the general election. We conducted a mock accreditation exercise. Though, the exercise had some issues we have addressed.
“So, we are confident that on Saturday, the machines will work and perform optimally.”
Present at the event include Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
