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.

Ajayi criticized Atiku for shifting away from his stated intention to focus his campaign on critical issues affecting everyday Nigerians, instead reducing his political strategy to personal attacks on President Tinubu’s private life. According to the presidential aide, Atiku resorts to fabricating absurd claims to keep his failing campaign in the news cycle, particularly after struggling to convince the public of the workability and soundness of his policy positions, such as his flip-flopping explanations regarding the restoration of the fuel subsidy.

Challenging the validity of Atiku’s assertions, Ajayi dared the opposition candidate to test his claims in a court of law, stating, “Let him go to court to present the evidence that President Tinubu is 90 years old.” Ajayi further noted that Atiku has a history of legal defeats against Tinubu across various courts in both Nigeria and the United States during past election cycles, predicting that any new legal or political challenges would similarly fail.