Election results will be declared swiftly, says INEC

 The results of Saturday's general elections will be announced as soon as possible, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, made this known to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

"I just want to say that we will make sure that the result declaration is done as soon as possible," he said. I have no idea how many days or hours it will take, but it will be completed quickly.

"We are aware of the anxiety and the need for us to complete the process as soon as possible. It will be completed soon."

The INEC boss also revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria did not pay for all of the commission's operations in cash.

He stated that the majority of procurement for both goods and services was done electronically.

He said, “But we need a small amount of money to pay for the unbanked who render critical services, particularly at the local level.

“We anticipated this challenge and interacted with the Central Bank; they promised us that the little amount we need to pay for services in cash, they will make the funds available to us and they have done so.

“And these funds have already been accessed by our state offices for elections, which is why the movement of personnel and materials in the last couple of days has gone on unhindered.

“So, I must give credit for our relationship with the Central Bank in that regard.

“The process won’t suffer any encumbrance as a result.”