Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it would create additional polling units across wards in the country before the 2023 general elections.
The Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Attahiru Garba Madami, revealed this while fielding questions from journalists.
Madami made the decision following low turnout of voters at many of the polling units during the last local government bye-election held in Patigi and complaints of long distance to voting centres by the voters living around rural areas.
According to him, INEC was fully aware of the people’s yearnings and working tirelessly to make it realisable before the 2023 general elections.
“We are going to create more polling units before 2023 general elections to make voting centers closer to the electorate, it always part of our discussions at the meeting of all state resident electoral commissioners” he said.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of INEC accredited Civil Society Observer Groups has adjudged the Saturday’s by-election in Patigi Constituency of the State House of Assembly as free, fair, credible and transparent.
The group gave their verdict about the bye-election while addressing the newsmen through their spokesman; Comrade Victor Kalu adding that “there was an obvious all round improvement on the part of INEC regarding the conduct of the last Saturday bye-election at Patigi state constituency”
He stated that the exercise took place as scheduled under a conducive and peaceful atmosphere without any complaints whatsoever from political parties and candidates in terms of credibility of the election.
The observers said “there was an obvious all round improvement on the part of INEC regarding the timely distribution of election materials and its arrival in various polling units resulting to timely commencement of election in all the units”
The Coalition appreciated the people of Patigi for their proper conduct during and after the election, especially for showing maturity and putting away the stings of violence.
It observed that the turnout of voters for the election was impressive but relatively low in some areas due to inadequate voter sensitisation and mobilisation for the election by all concerned stakeholders.
“The Patigi State Constituency Bye-election actually took place as scheduled on the 14th March, 2020 across the entire constituency. There was an obvious all round improvement on the part of INEC regarding the timely distribution of election materials and its arrival in their various polling units resulting to timely commencement of election in all the units.”
The Coalition also observed an uncontrollable presence of children or underage within and around the polling units while commercial activities were seriously observed in major polling units.
It called on government and the election management body to consider engaging committed Civil Society groups on an intensive civic voter education, sensitisation and mobilisation ahead of every election to encourage voter participation in elections.
