Controversy over cash won’t affect 2023 elections — INEC 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has revealed that the controversy generated by the cashless policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN would not disturb the conduct of the forthcoming 2023 elections scheduled for February 25 and March 11, 2023.

He said it’s not all activities of the electoral commission that requires the use of cash.

He made this remark on Saturday, February 18, 2023 in Abuja, the nation’s capital following his tour of the training centre at the International Conference Centre (ICC).

There were speculations that the forthcoming would be shifted considering the series of protests and violence caused in some parts of the country due to the scarcity of new naira notes.

The Informant247 recalls that the national chairman of the electoral commission days ago met with the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and had the assurance of the Governor that there would be enough cash in circulation for the elections.

“We visited the CBN last week on the issue of cash for payment of some of the services, not all, some of the services that we are going to engage on election day.

“The bulk of payment for goods and services is made through electronic transfer. But there are certain critical services that will be remunerated by cash; and that’s why we went to the CBN and it’s a small percentage of the budget.

“The Central Bank has assured us that we will not suffer any encumbrances in that regard. So there are no issues with respect to that,” he said.

He said, “As you know, we have our own role clearly cut out and others also have their own roles clearly cut out, but the most important thing is that we’re working together, and the security agencies have assured us that they will secure the environment for elections to hold peacefully nationwide. So, we have no issues in that respect.”

He stated, “While we’ll deploy our platforms, call it citizens contact centre, where citizens can ask questions, respond to issues or challenges in the field, and will be able to in turn, also respond speedily to give citizens a happy voting experience.

“So this is basically what we have for the media. There will be a place earmarked for those who wish to set up studios to be able to do so. And those of you who wish to bring your outside broadcasting bands will also accredit to bring your outside broadcasting vans.”