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DEVELOPING: Elections To Proceed Or Not? INEC Holds Emergency Meeting!

SaharaReporters understands the meeting was convened to address the myriads of challenges noticeable so far in the final hours before the election, and the extent to which they can affect the integrity of the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently holding an emergency meeting with security operatives, election observers and other stakeholders over the presidential election slated for Saturday.

SaharaReporters understands the meeting was convened to address the myriads of challenges noticeable so far in the final hours before the election, and the extent to which they can affect the integrity of the election.

As already reported by SaharaReporters in a live blog on the buildup to the election, there are already glaring loopholes that possibly may not be filled tomorrow.

As of 4pm at the INEC office in Sokoto central, INEC ad hoc staff had not yet been posted to their various polling units. They are stranded and waiting to be given necessary materials.

"We have been waiting patiently since morning but we don't know what's going on," Malam Musa, one of the stranded staff member said.

Due to transportation difficulties, in Kano, some ad hoc staff had to enter car booths to move themselves from the INEC office to their detsinations.

In Yola, capital of Adamawa State, most of the names shortlisted as ad hoc staff were replaced at the last minute, particularly in Metropolitan Local Government in Yola North. "Most of the people who were originally shortlisted just woke up on Thursday morning to discover that their names had been removed and replaced with names, majority of which were Muslims," a source had told SaharaReporters.

There was a similar complaint in Borno, with this even leading to a protest by more than 300 youth corps members.

Also in Adamawa, there were hevay complaints. "As of midnight on Thursday, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials delivered to Adamawa State were inadequate," an INEC source had told SaharaReporters. "You may wish to call the Resident Electoral Commissioner for confirmation. Please ask him to give you figures categorically. I'm telling you in all sincerity, ballot papers as brought to Adamawa are not complete. By the way, the situation is the same, virtually in all the states. You can find out."

In addition, there are similar complaints in Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Niger, Oyo, Edo and Rivers states.