BASIEC Distributes Sensitive Materials For Bauchi LG Polls, Police Warn Against Violence, Vote Buying

The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has distributed sensitive electoral materials ahead of Monday’s local government council elections across the state.

The Commission also assured residents of adequate arrangements for the conduct of peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

Speaking during the flagging off the distribution of the materials in Bauchi on Saturday, the BASIEC chairperson, Hajiya Jummai Salamatu Abubakar, said all necessary arrangements had been concluded for the conduct of the elections.

She said 15 political parties had indicated their readiness to participate in the exercise, adding that adequate logistics had been put in place for the safe transportation and delivery of electoral materials to the designated local government areas.

Abubakar urged residents to come out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice, stating that the election would take place from 8am to 3pm on Monday, August 17, 2026.

She reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting the elections in accordance with its constitutional mandate.

According to her, the sensitive materials would be transported to the designated local government areas under tight security escort to ensure their safety.

She subsequently handed over the materials to designated electoral officials for onward deployment, in the presence of representatives of participating political parties.

The BASIEC chairperson also charged security personnel to ensure the safe delivery and protection of electoral materials and maintain peace throughout the exercise.

She commended security agencies for their support towards the conduct of local government elections in the state and urged them to sustain the collaboration.

Earlier, Abubakar explained that chairmanship elections would be conducted in 19 of the state’s 20 local government areas, while councillorship elections would be held in all 20 local government areas.

She said no chairmanship election would be conducted in Shira Local Government Area because the position had already been filled through an earlier by-election.

On logistics and security, she said the commission had concluded arrangements with relevant security agencies for the transportation and deployment of electoral materials, personnel and other logistics to polling units across the state.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Khalid Arewa, expressed confidence in the electoral process and said the participating political parties were satisfied with the preparations so far.

“We have full confidence that, Insha Allah, this election will be credible, rancour-free, fair and just,” he said.

Arewa said 15 political parties had purchased nomination forms and were ready to participate in the election.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Command has announced comprehensive security arrangements to ensure a peaceful, credible and hitch-free conduct of the 2026 local government elections.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, the Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, said personnel had been strategically deployed across the state to reinforce security and safeguard lives, property and electoral materials before, during and after the elections.

The Command warned that acts of electoral violence, ballot box snatching, thuggery, vote buying and selling, intimidation of voters and any attempt to disrupt the electoral process would attract the full weight of the law.

It said perpetrators, sponsors and accomplices, irrespective of their status or political affiliation, would be arrested and prosecuted.

The commissioner also assured residents that police personnel deployed for the exercise would conduct themselves with professionalism, neutrality and respect for human rights, in accordance with extant laws.

The Command urged residents to come out and exercise their civic rights without fear, while advising them to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines.

Meanwhile, Governor Bala Mohammed has declared Monday, August 17, 2026, a work-free day across Bauchi State to enable civil servants and other public servants to participate fully in the local government council elections.