INEC Distributes Sensitive Materials Ahead of Gombe Federal Constituency By-Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed sensitive electoral materials to the three local government areas in Gombe State ahead of Saturday’s by-election for the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency.
The materials were distributed on Friday at the Central Bank of Nigeria premises in Gombe in the presence of political party agents, security personnel, officials of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, CBN representatives and journalists.
The election is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2026, with 495,851 registered voters expected to participate across the constituency. INEC records show that the constituency comprises three local government areas, 31 registration areas and 903 polling units.
Speaking after the exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Gombe State, Umar Muktar Gajiram, said the materials had been sent to the respective local government areas for onward deployment to polling units.
Gajiram said the distribution was conducted in the presence of relevant stakeholders to promote transparency and build confidence in the electoral process.
He explained that the endorsement and signatures placed on the sensitive materials formed part of INEC’s authentication process, ensuring that only materials approved and certified for the election were deployed.
The REC also urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to comply with the Peace Accord signed at the Gombe State Police Command ahead of the poll.
He called for peaceful and orderly conduct, stressing that maintaining security during the election was a shared responsibility among INEC, political actors, security agencies and other stakeholders.
INEC had earlier identified Gombe and Funakaye Local Government Areas as high-risk areas ahead of the election, citing security concerns.
The by-election is being conducted to fill the vacant Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye seat in the House of Representatives. INEC had fixed September 19 for the poll following the death of the former occupant of the seat, Yaya Bauchi Tongo.
