Nation
Accord Party Hails INEC’s Plans For New Polling Units
The Lagos State Chapter of Accord Party on Sunday described the plans by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expand the number of polling units in Nigeria as timely and beneficial.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Dele Oladeji, said in Lagos yesterday, that the plan would encourage many voters to exercise their franchise during poll.
According to him, the delay, difficulty and time voters spend at polling units during elections are enough to dissuade many from coming out to vote on election day.
“Accord Party welcomes INEC’s plans to create more polling units in the country, so as to further decongest existing polling booths.
“This will further reduce the average time every citizen has to spend on queue before they cast their vote,” Oladeji said.
The spokesman, however, called on the electoral umpire to work more on technologies that could ensure electoral integrity and prevent malpractices.
“We also implore INEC to introduce more anti-fraud technologies into the electoral process in its efforts to ensure genuine democracy.
“We need technologies, tools and innovations that can deter electoral frauds,” he said.
The Tide source reports that after 25 years of last creation of Polling Units in Nigeria, INEC on Feb.5, commenced engagement with stakeholders on expansion of voters’ access to polling units.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the commission’s stakeholders meeting with political parties’ leaders in Abuja, said expanding voter access to polling units in Nigeria was crucial to voter turnout in elections.
Yakubu said experience had shown that enhanced voter access to polling units increased turnout in elections.
In a communique signed by the 16 parties physically present at the meeting, leaders of the parties resolved that there was merit in INEC’s proposal in converting the existing voting points and voting points settlement nationwide to full fledged polling units to address the problem of voter access.
They also resolved that the commission should commence the process of conversion base on clearly articulated guidelines to be developed by INEC and shared with stakeholders.
INEC currently has 119,973 Polling Units across the country.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
