INEC HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXPANSION OF VOTERS ACCESS TO POLLING UNITS IN LAGOS

A one-day expanded stakeholders meeting on the Implementation of Expansion of Voters Access to Polling Units by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Lagos State was held at the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Alausa, Ikeja on Monday the 10^th of May, 2021.

Giving his goodwill message at the Expanded Stakeholders meeting, the Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos Directorate, Mr. Waheed Ishola commended INEC for such a bold step in expanding the Polling Units (PU) and making it accessible to the voters. A move he said would help reduce voters’ apathy as witnessed in the recent past in elections in the state. He used the occasion to address the political class to see politics as a call to serve the people and not to encourage political thuggery and other electoral malpractices but to continually educate their followers to shun violence, avoid hate speeches and fake news that could incite violence during campaigns and election. He further enjoined the people to be responsible individuals who are to go to the polling units with their PVCs and cast their votes in an orderly and peaceful manner now that the PU would be expanded and made accessible to all and sundry.

On his part, the ACP Operations, O.O. Odubona who represented the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Mr. Odumosu, said that the security agencies are fully ready to ensure that there is always peace all through the period of any election and that since they work with INEC timetable, it is their duty to do some security checks on the expanded PU before elections.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Lagos State, Mr. Sam Olumekun said that the main reason for the stakeholders meeting was for the commission to present its worsening challenge of voter access to PU, provide a historical background, outline some indicative issues to be addressed by the engagements and how to solve the challenge of declining voter access to polling units. In pursuant to section 42 of the Electoral Act which gives INEC the power to establish polling units, he listed some objectives of implementation of expanding voter access to polling units as:

Decongest existing polling units by reducing the number of voters per polling unit.
Improve the quality of access to electoral services provided to all Nigerian voters by the Commission, especially for persons with Disability (PWDs).
Improve health and safety conditions at polling units during the elections in order to comply with COVID-19 protocols.
Expand voter access to polling units by converting existing voting points and voting settlements into full polling units and where necessary relocate new existing ones to places where they are closer to and or more accessible to voters.

Furthermore, the location of the Pus would be in accordance with the following considerations:

Public places that are centrally located and accessible.
Non-sectarian locations such as schools, town/community halls, health centres, court premises, public recreational centres.
Spacious facilities to adequately sit election officials, political party agents, election observers and voters if necessary.
Adequately sheltered/covered locations such as classrooms and halls.
Locations that can take more than one polling unit, if required.

The REC noted that the commission had approved the modalities for continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise nationwide. The exercise which would commence on June 28^th 2021, would entail voter registration for those that have newly attained the age of 18 years and above and persons that have not registered, while voters can also use the window to update the status of their PVCs.

High-point of the event was the robust questions and answer session. In attendance were members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and NGOs; Religious Bodies, All the registered Political Parties in Lagos State; members of the Nigerian Police represented by ACP Operations, Mr. O.O.Odubona; Army, represented by Major SJ Dauda, Ag Commanding Officer, 9 Brigade Garrison; Airforce; NIS; NSCDC, represented by Deputy Commandant, Special Duties and INEC Materials, Agoro Ayodeji; Deputy Comp. Enforcement, Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), DC Danbauchi AL; NDLEA; FRSC; NYSC, Media amongst others.