Election: INEC chairman briefs Buhari, FEC on election readiness

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, is currently briefing the Federal Executive Council chaired by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the State House, Abuja.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, announced this shortly after Buhari arrived at the Council Chamber before the meeting commenced proper.

With only 16 days to the Presidential Elections, Yakubu is expected to brief the council on the commission’s readiness for the nationwide exercise.

This comes two days before an emergency meeting of the Council of State, to be convened by Buhari on Friday to discuss the national crises ensuing from the new Naira and petrol scarcity which has triggered pockets of protests nationwide.

The PUNCH reports that Yakubu had on Tuesday met the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, where he expressed concerns that the current cash crunch may affect the flow of logistics ahead of the elections.

The INEC Chairman received the assurances of the NSA on adequate security and that of the CBN Governor on the availability of cash to aid logistics.

Yakubu is also expected to appear at the Council of State meeting on Friday alongside the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to discuss the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly poll.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, the Council observed a moment of silence in honour of Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (retd), a former minister of special duties under the Yakubu Gowon regime.

Suleiman, 80, served as a member of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria under General Murtala Muhammed from July 1975 to March 1976.

Suleiman who hails from Plateau State was also military governor of the State from March 1976 to July 1978 after it was created from the old Benue-Plateau State.

He died on February 1, 2023.