Edo poll: Tight security as INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials

There was tight security around Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Benin City for the better part of Thursday which caused gridlock at Ring Road, the City Centre and adjoining roads including Airport road, Sokponba road, Sapele road, Akpakpava road and others.

A police Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was parked at the entrance gate to the Bank while only journalists with their identity cards were allowed into the premises to witness the movement of sensitive materials which arrived on Wednesday evening.

As at the time of filing this report, 11 trucks have been loaded and released out of the premises while the dispatching exercises continued. Addressing Journalists at the premises of the CBN, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Edo State, Mr Timidi Wariowei, said that the distribution commenced with the farthest local government areas.

According to him, “so far we have loaded about 11 local governments.  We started from Akoko-Edo, Etsako Central, Owan East and Owan West among others “Some have gone and others are completely loaded and are sorting out their security escort and very soon materials will move to all the local government. “From the local government, the materials will move to Registration Areas Centres (RACs) and from the RACs they will move to the polling units and voting points on Saturday morning. “As you can see, we are fully ready for the election.

This is the high point of our preparation, that is moving the materials from the CBN to local government areas”, he said The materials arrived at the CBN office on Wednesday and they were inspected by Wariowei and party chieftains. The Commission included the braille ballot guide for persons with disabilities, especially the visually impaired persons. Vanguard