Jatau also dismissed assertions tying the board to a broader plot to Islamise Nigeria, urging bloggers and the public to refrain from spreading unverified, politically motivated narratives. Emphasizing that the agency’s mandate has nothing to do with such claims, the board called on residents to reject malicious misinterpretations and instead foster peace, unity, and mutual respect across all faith communities in the state.

Speaking with The Punch, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna explained that the electoral body recently published the credentials of governorship candidates and their running mates nationwide. Following inspections of local printing firms, the commission expressed confidence in their security infrastructure and production capacity.

Because of their highly sensitive nature, ballot papers and result sheets will be printed close to the election date. Once printed, these items will be routed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for secure storage until they are retrieved and distributed publicly in the presence of media, civil society groups, and party agents.

Meanwhile, preparations for non-sensitive materials are already underway, with INEC producing items like ballot boxes, placing orders for Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, and creating banners to cover potential shortages.

Despite these proactive steps, Haruna pointed out that a compressed preparation timeline poses a significant challenge. Due to recent amendments to the electoral law, the official planning window has been trimmed from one year down to six months. Even though the commission has secured a portion of its required funding and is currently finalizing printing contracts, time remains the primary constraint.

Addressing doubts regarding domestic production security, Haruna reassured the public by pointing to the smooth execution of the previous general election as a successful precedent with zero complaints regarding local printers.