The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive electoral materials to the 30 local government areas of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The distribution exercise began on Thursday night under the supervision of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola.
The movement of the materials had earlier been delayed following a Federal High Court judgment directing INEC to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot for the election.
Following the court order, INEC added the SDP to the ballot, bringing the number of political parties participating in the election to 15.
The commission had previously printed ballot papers for 14 political parties before the court ruling necessitated the production of additional ballot papers and result sheets.
As of 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, buses deployed for the distribution exercise were seen leaving the Central Bank of Nigeria premises in Osogbo, the state capital, for their respective local government areas.
The development has eased concerns that the court judgment and the resulting logistical adjustments could affect the election timetable.
Speaking during the exercise, Umar Mohammed, Senior Programme Manager of Kimpat Development Initiative, described the arrival and distribution of the materials as encouraging.
“It is a very good thing that the materials arrived today. Hopefully, by the time INEC finishes sorting, they will distribute them to all the local governments,” Mohammed said.
He said there had initially been concerns that the court ruling could create logistical difficulties for INEC and potentially lead to a postponement of the election.
“We were worried after the court pronouncement, which led to the addition of SDP to the ballot. This created a logistical challenge for INEC. We felt it could affect the election and probably lead to a call for postponement, but it is good that the materials have arrived,” he said.
According to him, INEC had to print additional ballot papers and result sheets to accommodate the SDP following the court directive.
READ ALSO: Osun Election: INEC Adds SDP Candidate To Ballot After Court Order
Mohammed also commended the commission’s distribution strategy, noting that its deployment appeared to prioritise local government areas considered relatively distant and difficult to access.
He, however, raised concerns over the possibility of rainfall affecting the movement of the sensitive materials to their designated locations.
“I pray it does not rain because the dark clouds are already gathering. Rainfall could make the distribution of election materials difficult,” he said.
The commencement of the distribution comes as political parties, candidates, security agencies, election observers and residents make final preparations for Saturday’s poll.
The election is scheduled to take place across the state’s 30 local government areas, with voters expected to choose the governor for the next administration.
The timely movement of sensitive materials is expected to be crucial to ensuring that polling units open as scheduled and that eligible voters are able to exercise their franchise without unnecessary delays.
With the SDP now included on the ballot, INEC is expected to complete the distribution of the updated materials ahead of the commencement of voting on Saturday.