The Independent National Electoral Commission said it would commence the configuration of card readers for the November 26 governorship poll in Ondo State on Thursday.
The Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity of INEC, Nick Dazang, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dazang, who did not give the number of the card readers to be configured, said the device to be deployed would cover the number of polling units and voting points in the state.
The Commission had earlier said it was deploying 1,500 card readers for the election.
Dazang said: “There will also be extra number of card readers to serve as backup for unforeseen or technical challenges.”
He added that the commission would on the day of election deploy teams of technical staff to address any challenge with the card reader.
Dazang said that the commission was already implementing every other plan that would ensure the success and credibility of the election, adding that implementation of some of the plans had been completed.
The completed ones, according to him, include training of Electoral Officers /Assistant Electoral Officers, Local Government Area Training Officers and the deployment of non-sensitive election materials.
He said: “We have also concluded the training for security personnel, supervisory presiding officers as well as presiding and assistant presiding officers.
“The commission will also commence a two-day training for Collation/ Returning Officers from November 21 to November 22.”
On the distribution of election materials, Dazang said that the commission had already distributed non-sensitive election materials in the state, while that of sensitive materials would commence next week.
He said: “As part of the activities to ensure that the election is peacefully conducted, INEC will be holding a stakeholders forum on Thursday in Akure.
“The forum to be addressed by the Chairman of INEC and the Inspector-General of Police will address key issues and concerns on the conduct of the election.”
Dazang, however, urged electorate and other stakeholders in the state, especially leaders and candidate of political parties, to cooperate with INEC towards ensuring that the election was credible and peaceful.
He said: “The conduct of credible and peaceful election is not the sole responsibility of INEC; it requires the collaboration of all stakeholders.”
Ondo State is made up of 18 local government areas, 203 registration areas, 3,010 polling units with a total of 1,660,055 registered voters.
Twenty-eight political parties are participating in the election.
