Stakeholders laud INEC for creating 1,349 additional polling units in Bauchi

Election stakeholders in Bauchi on Tuesday lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for converting 1,349 voting points to polling units across the state.

This is coming ahead of the 2023 general election.

The stakeholders spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the interactive session organised by INEC to sensitise the electorate on the new polling units.

INEC had said the conversion would provide a conducive voting environment and effective implementation of the regulations and guidelines of the commission during elections.

Alhaji Kabir Shuwa, the state Chairman, Action People Party (APP), commended INEC for recommending the conversion of 1,349 existing voting points in compliance with the guidelines for expanding voters’ access to polling units in the state.

Shuwa noted that the new polling units would decongest existing ones by reducing the number of voters per polling unit to a maximum of 750 voters and minimum of 500 voters as stipulated by the Electoral Act.

The APP state chairman said it was the right step in the right direction as the commission deserved commendation for decongesting the polling units in the country.

“That would give way for the growing population to vote freely and very close to their homes and without stress,” he said.

Shuwa, also the state Publicity Secretary of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), noted that the polling units would create sanity in the voting system.

Also, Allhaji Abdullahi Mohammed, the state Chairman, African Action Congress (AAC), said the party was in support of INEC’s decision to create additional polling units.

“Before they embarked on the creation of the polling units process all the political parties and other stakeholders were invited to provide inputs and we did that,” he said.

Mohammmed explained that the action was in line with the Electoral Act and going by the nation’s population growth to capture new areas and new voters.

“Many new high-density cities and communities have emerged, coupled with the fact of massive migrations and displacements, which calls for additional polling units.

“These have combined to make it imperative for INEC to create more polling units to make it more accessible to a greater number of voters during elections,” he said.

Hajiya Saratu Jahun, a politician, also said creating more polling units would ease the election process among the dense population areas in the state.

“So we have supported the move by the INEC in creating additional polling units in the country before the 2023 general elections.

“Besides, it is within the jurisdiction of the umpire to create polling units for ease of electoral activities,” she said.

She noted the fears being expressed in various quarters that the process could be manipulated to favour certain areas in the state.

Jahun, however, urged the commission to consider an electronic voting system which could also easily help in addressing the concerns of the electorate.

Mr Habila Youngo, representing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs),  said they were part of the process that led to the creation of  additional polling units across the country.

“So it was not true that the move by INEC to create additional polling units was not based on the demand of the people.

“Some voters walk long distances on election day to cast their ballot because the location of some polling units are far from their residences.

“The points between the residences of the voters and the location of the polling units are far apart.

“Some voters would save themselves the stress of walking long distances to go and cast their votes,” he said.

Youngo pointed out that the creation of additional polling units would enhance the integrity and credibility of elections in the country.