Orji argued that polling units situated in inappropriate places hinder electorate’s access to voting during elections.
“Those polling units in such inappropriate places are not good for our elections. Most times, people see them as personal polling units. We want to make the polling units accessible to all voters,” he said.
Orji said that the commission would also increase the number of polling units in the state from 4,608 to 5,720 to give access to more voters.
The REC lamented that less than 30 percent of registered voters in the state cast their votes in the last general election and called on the stakeholders in the state to mobilise voters to actively participate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Awka – The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in charge of Anambra State, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, says the Commission has concluded plans to relocate polling units located in places that are difficult to access during elections.
According to him, these include polling units in forests, shrines, market places, worship centres, private residences among others.
Dr Nkwachukwu Orji disclosed this at a stakeholders’ forum on expansion of voter access to polling units held on Monday in Awka, Anambra State capital.
At the forum, the Anambra INEC REC, also announced the conversion of 1,112 voting points in the State to polling units.
By Segun James
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has stated that it will create 4,861 additional polling units in the state.
Just as it has cancelled the used of royal palaces and worship centres as polling stations in the state.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Sam Olumekun, who disclosed this, said the newly approved polling units is to provide unhindered access for the citizens to exercise their fundamental rights to vote.
According to him, “Polling units are central to the electoral process and democracy at large. Voter access to polling units is at the very heart of representative democracy because it is where citizens exercise their fundamental rights to vote and make electoral choices freely. Consequently, polling units largely shape citizens confidence in the electoral process and similarly determine the level of their participation or apathy as well as security and safety during elections.”
The state presently has 8,464 polling units.
The new polling units are distributed across the 20 local governments in the state with Alimosho, the most populated local government in the state, getting the largest share of 844 followed by Eti-Osa with 430 and Ifako Ijaiye having 426 new PUs.
Others according to the chart reeled out by the REC are Oshodi-Isolo 380; Ikorodu, 352; Kosofe, 313; Ikeja, 307; Ojo, 292; Badagry, 209; Amuwo-Odofin, 202; Surulere, 172; Agege, 169; Apapa, 154; Ajeromi-Ifelodun, 134; Lagos Island, 119; Ibeju-Lekki, 119; Lagos Mainland, 96; Shomolu, 58; Mushin, 57 and Epe, 28.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, the Resident Electoral Commissioner said attempts by the commission to expand voters’ access to polling units through the creation of new ones have always been unsuccessful “principally due to politicization of the process by sundry interests who propagate unfounded claims and conspiracy theories about the commission Intentions.”
Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Gombe State has said it is expanding its electoral polling units with an additional 770 new ones across the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, stated at the weekend during a stakeholders’ meeting that new settlements are among areas that would mostly benefit from the creation of the new units which was last created over 25 years ago.
The meeting was on the expansion of voters’ access to polling units held at the conference hall of the Federal Secretariat in Gombe.
He said the expansion became necessary following embarrassing challenges that included congestion at polling units due to growth in population; long distance between polling units which affects voter turnout among other reasons during elections.