2023: INEC announces Collation centre, situation room

Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC, has disclosed it would be using the International Conference Centre, Abuja for the final Collation of the 2023 general elections results.

The venue would also be used as a National Situation Room, it said.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the decisions were finalised at the commission’s weekly meeting held on Thursday.

In a statement, Mr Okoye said the commission also constituted two committees for the collation secretariat as well as the Situation Room and Collation Centre Committee.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, a professor, will head the Collation Secretariat where presidential results from the states will be collated, he said.

“In addition, a few technical staff will assist him,” he added.

The second committee, Mr Okoye said, would be chaired by May Agbamuche-Mbu, a national commissioner with the commission.

He said the 16-member committee chaired by Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu would be “responsible for the preparation of the venue, seating arrangement, utilities and services, security, the accreditation of party agents, as well as the national and international observers, media, etc.”

The Director, Commission Secretary, would serve as the secretary of the committee, he added.

He listed other members of the committee to include Abdullahi Zuru and Festus Okoye – both national commissioners.

He added that the Directors, Electoral Operations, ICT, Planning and Monitoring, Security, Election & Party Monitoring, Research, Health Services, Estate, Works and Transport, as well as the Director, International Cooperation & Protocol would also be part of the committee.

Other members include the Chief Technical Adviser to Mr Yakubu, his Special Adviser and his Chief Press Secretary.

“The Situation Room and Collation Centre Committees were inaugurated by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who charged them to commence work in earnest and to discharge their responsibilities diligently,” he said.