INEC to harmonise reports from states on polling units expansion

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it plans to harmonise reports from states on Polling Units (PUs) expansion, to ensure that they are in conformity with its guidelines.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, disclosed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Okoye said that this followed the conclusion of verification relating to the expansion and relocation of PUs across the country.

He said that INEC was operating in tandem with its timelines for the conversion of voting points to polling units in the country.

“Prior to the verification exercise, the commission issued clear and comprehensive guidelines for the conversion of Voting Points and Voting Point Settlements (VPSs) to full fledged and stand alone PUs.

“The commission approved a threshold of 750 registered voters per polling units and the various Local Government and State offices of the commission used this as a base for the conversion of Voting Points and VPSs to full fledged polling units.

“The commission captured the number of registered Voters in each Registration Area.

“The commission recorded the number of polling units in each state and the number of voting points and voting point settlements used and in during the 2019 general election,” he said.

Okoye added:“INEC captured the coordinates of the existing polling voting and relocated voting points and voting point settlements.

“It noted the number of polling units in areas with security challenges.

“All these have been compiled at state level and forwarded to the commission. “

He said after the harmonisation, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, would address Nigerians on the number of voting points and voting point settlements converted to full fledged PUs and the number of PUs in the after the conversion.

“We are at the threshold of breaking a 25-year-old jinx.

“Nigerians are happy that this has been done. Polling Units have been decongested.

“Unserved and underserved areas have now been served. We are elated at this development as it will improve electoral services and hopefully increase voter turnout.

“The new polling units will make for inclusivity and in the new electoral matrix, no eligible voter will be left behind,” Okoye said.