The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Taraba has said it would deploy speed boats, life jackets and motorcycles to enable them access riverine and mountainous areas in Taraba.
Public Relations Officer of the Commission in Taraba, Fabian Yame, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Jalingo. Yame said the move became necessary to ensure that people living in difficult terrains were not disenfranchised in 2019.
“Taraba has a lot of riverine and mountainous areas and we are poised to do everything to ensure that people in these areas are not denied the right to cast their votes.
“We have perfected plans to deploy speed boats, life jackets and motorcycles in these difficult terrains to ensure access to these areas,” he said.
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He urged politicians to abide by the time table released by the commission and also mobilise their supporters ahead of election next year to avoid the temptation of vote-buying which he said was dangerous for democracy.
Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Taraba, Baba Abba Yusuf, has said the commission has commenced the distribution of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) at the various electoral wards in the state.
This is even as the Commission said it would commence the display of voters’ register at all the polling units across the state on Thursday, 6th November and would last through Monday, 12th of November, 2018.
The exercise, which would hold between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm, according to the REC, is part of efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
Yusuf noted that the collection of PVCs is to give prospective voters the opportunity to collect their cards and keep them safe for the elections just as the display of the voters’ register is to give room for claims and objections as well as remove ineligible voters from the register.
Those to be removed from the register, according to the release are deceased registered voters, non- Nigerians and under-aged voters as well as multiple registrations.
The Commission however, called on all stakeholders, community and religious leaders including civil society organisations to help in encouraging their populace to come out massively to collect their PVCs and endeavour to check their names on the voters register.
