Creation of New Polling Units: How we intend to address failures of the past- Yakubu

The National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says after reviewing the unsuccessful previous efforts at expanding voter access to polling units in 2007, 2014 and just before the 2019 general election, the Commission has decided to properly communicate and consult with stakeholders, in the resolve to create more polling units in the country, ahead of 2023 general polls.

While acknowledging that attempts in the past to create more polling units failed, because the good intention, “may not have been properly communicated for input by Nigerians and therefore misunderstood and politicized”, Prof. Yakubu noted: “Learning from experience, the Commission has now decided to start early and to engage with Nigerians by consulting widely. We have worked hard in the last two months and produced a Discussion Paper entitled ‘The State of Voter Access to Polling Units in Nigeria’. We have also prepared satellite imageries of the location of polling units across the country and produced still pictures and videos to demonstrate the difficulties faced by voters on Election Day”.

The INEC Boss, who spoke during, “today’s (Tuesday February 9) meeting with CSOs”, in furtherance of the Commission’s consultations with stakeholders, added: “We hope that by doing so, we will better communicate the Commission’s intention to Nigerians and invite input across the board on how to address this problem in the immediate term and hopefully establish the framework for future adjustments as the need arises, as is the case in virtually all democracies around the world. I am confident that by working together, we will make history by finally solving this 25-year old problem of expanding voter access to polling units in Nigeria”.

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