THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed plans to increase the number of polling units in the country.
INEC in a statement issued at the end of its meeting on Tuesday in Abuja by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, stated that there are plans for the Commission to meet with stakeholders in a few weeks time to address the inadequacies of Polling Units (PUs) in Nigeria.
Okoye said, “The Commission met today Feb. 2 and deliberated on a number of issues including the finalised arrangements for the upcoming engagements with stakeholders on expanding voter access to PUs in Nigeria.
“For several weeks, the Commission has been preparing for these national engagements to address the inadequacies of PUs in Nigeria and the challenges they pose to election management.
“Some of these challenges include overcrowding, numerous unserved populations and poor locations, which are potentially disenfranchising millions of Nigerians, and also pose health risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a national problem that calls for national consensus.
“Consequently, he said that INEC resorted to interim measures such as creating Voting Points at Polling Units nationwide and establishing Voting Point Settlements in the Federal Capital Territory.
“These engagements will afford an opportunity for the Commission to consult with stakeholders in order to build a genuine national consensus to address the problem of declining voter access to polling units.”
