INEC Chairman Meets with RECs, Strategises for Governorship Election

By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has met with the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) as part of preparations for the March 9 governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

The chairman, while meeting with the RECs at the commission’s headquarters Thursday in Abuja, said that the purpose of the meeting was to keep with the tradition of this commission.

According to him, “Once we conduct the national election, we take stock and review, so that process and procedures are strengthened learning from period of previous elections before we go into state elections.”

Yakubu said that since the RECs were in Abuja with the State Collation Officers for the presidential election, it was important for the commission to meet and review the experiences of the last elections with a view to strengthening its processes towards a successful conduct of the state elections on Saturday, March 9.

He said: “The next election is going to hold on Saturday March 9 and this is going to be the governorship in 29 states of the federation.

“As you are aware, in seven states, the governorship elections are staggered and conducted off season. We have since concluded these elections.

“So, there will be governorship election in 29 states and in all the states of the federation. There will be state Assemblies election and in the FCT where the Area Council election coincides with the general election. We are also conducting election in 68 constituencies and that will be six council chairmen and 52 councils.

“We have gone very far with the arrangements for the elections, election will hold on March 9 with the election of governor for states as well as members of the state Assemblies.”