Politics
No Election To Hold In 240 Polling Units Across 28 States, FCT – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the forthcoming general elections will not hold in 240 Polling Units (PUs) across 28 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for not having registered voters.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a meeting with national leaders of political parties in Abuja on Monday, said that the February and March elections would now hold in 176,606 PUs instead of 176,846 PUs nationwide.
Mr Yakubu recalled that in 2021 the commission successfully expanded the number of polling units from 119,973 to the current figure of 176,846.
He said that efforts were also made to redistribute voters to the polling units in order to avoid the congestion that made voting cumbersome in many of the PUs nationwide.
“This requires the redistribution of voters to new polling units in proximate locations. Where they are separated by distance, this must be done after consultation with the voters.
“This has been done by our State offices nationwide. However, there are 240 polling units without registered voters spread across 28 States and the FCT.
“They range from one polling unit to 12 polling units in each State and the FCT, except Taraba and Imo States with 34 and 38 polling units respectively.
“No new registrants chose the polling units and no voters indicated interest to transfer to them during the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), mainly for security reasons. This means that no elections will hold in these polling units,’’ he said.
Prof. Yakubu said that in INEC commitment to transparency, the commission was making available to Nigerians a comprehensive list of those polling units by name, code number and their locations by State, Local Government and Registration Area.
He said that the soft copy of the list had been uploaded on INEC website and social media platforms for public information and guidance.
The INEC chairman also advised registered voters to visit the commission’s website to confirm the locations of their polling units.
He said that from the feedback INEC received from the recent nationwide mock accreditation using the Bimodal Voters Verification System (BVAS), it was clear that some voters cannot easily identify their PUs.
“Consequently, the Commission is advising voters to confirm the locations of their polling units through a dedicated portal on our website.
“In addition, all voters who have been assigned to new polling units will receive text messages from the Commission indicating their polling units.
“We have also compiled the register of such voters and our State offices will give it wide publicity, especially for those who may not have provided their telephone numbers during voter registration or those whose numbers may have changed.’’
Prof. Yakubu said voters could locate and confirm their polling units before election day by sending a regular text or WhatsApp message to a dedicated telephone number.
He added that details of the simple procedure would be uploaded on INEC social media platforms shortly.
Prof. Yakubu also disclosed that INEC was finalising the issuance of 1,642,386 identification tags for the polling and collation agents nominated by the 18 political parties made up of 1,574,301 polling agents and 68,085 collation agents.
He urged political parties to ensure that only agents accredited by INEC and wearing the correct identification tags appear at polling units and collation centres during elections.
“A situation where two or more agents claim to represent a political party, resulting in commotion at polling units or collation centres, is unacceptable.
“Only identification tags issued by the commission will be recognised on election day and violators are liable to arrest and prosecution for impersonation,’’ Prof Yakubu said.
On the ongoing electioneering campaigns, he expressed INEC’s concerns about violent attacks on supporters of political parties across the board, resulting in the loss of lives in some cases.
Prof. Yakubu appealed to leaders of political parties to continue to call their candidates and supporters to order.
“I also call on the security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to arrest, investigate and prosecute anyone involved in violent conduct, including incendiary statements capable of inciting a breach of the peace’’, he said.
In his remarks, the National Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, appealed to INEC not to consider postponing the elections under any guise.
Mr Sani, who reaffirmed the council’s confidence in the leadership of INEC for its consistent demonstration of diligence, urged the commission to make the general elections credible.
The IPAC chairman also commended INEC’s efforts in confronting the challenges occasioned by naira redesign and fuel scarcity through the chairman’s visit to the relevant agencies.
“I therefore call on all Nigerians of good conscience to take credible results of the election the way it is.
“At worse parties should resort to the law court for adjudication. Today it is an abhorrence and crudity if not savagery to see States Governors denying campaign venues to political parties other than their own. This is crude, primitive and uncivilized.
“Finally, I would want to admonish party leaders that having observed that the elections are conducted free, fair and credible, the result should be accepted for the love of our country,’’ Mr Sani said.
Accordingg to the statement, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF, noted with very grave concern the recent spate of political developments in Rivers State.
“Regrettably, these developments have now degenerated into the decision of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor and deputy governor.
“This is a deeply disturbing situation that demands urgent attention in order to forestall further escalation and breakdown of law and order.
“This concern is heightened by the critical importance and strategic centrality of Rivers to the Niger Delta region and to the broader socio-political stability and economic wellbeing of Nigeria as a whole”, the statement said.
The Forum called on all parties involved in the resurgent political imbroglio to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
“This should be guided by the principles of give-and-take, dialogue, tolerance, and political equanimity.
“All stakeholders must place paramount importance on peace, development and the welfare of the people of Rivers.
“We must now focus squarely on good governance and development of the state,” the Forum said.
PANDEF commended President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respected elders of Rivers State, and other well-meaning Nigerians for their previous and ongoing efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the state.
Speaking in an interview on Saturday, January 10, Chief Sara-Igbe alleged that the minister had flouted regulations governing the commencement of electioneering campaigns by moving from one local government area to another to galvanise political support.
According to him, the action amounted to a clear breach of electoral guidelines being carried out with a troubling sense of impunity that could undermine the rule of law.
“Wike has violated the electoral laws of campaigning by going from local government to local government to talk to the people. He travelled from one local government to another. As a result of his visits to local government areas, he has broken election regulations and continues to do all these things without fear of repercussions”, Chief Sara-Igbe said.
The remarks came as Chief Wike was set to round off a state-wide “thank-you” tour that covered all 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Although the minister had described the tour as an appreciation visit following support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections, critics say the engagements have assumed an overtly political character.
Observers note that during several stops, including recent visits to Andoni and Bonny local government areas, the minister rallied supporters across party lines under what he termed a “Rainbow Coalition,” a move widely interpreted as part of a broader political strategy.
During these engagements, Chief Wike was also reported to have made remarks perceived as a veiled challenge to the authority of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while repeatedly referencing the 2027 elections and urging supporters to prepare to “correct the mistake” of 2023.
Chief Sara-Igbe warned that allowing such activities to continue unchecked could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and called on relevant authorities to enforce existing laws without fear or favour.
The Commission, in a statement on Wednesday, claimed that there were plans by the same group to escalate a smear campaign against its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to frustrate ongoing investigations and prosecutions involving prominent individuals.
The statement endorsed by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, claimed that the action was intended to distract the Commission through unfounded allegations of political bias in the discharge of its duties.
The EFCC warned that it would not stand by and watch “those recruited into this ignoble enterprise” or allow any attempt to derail it from “the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.”
The Commission made it clear that those recruited into this venture were under close watch, adding that it would not tolerate any attempt to distract it from the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.
“The EFCC reiterates its non-political stance in all its activities. Facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar and dynamics of the Commission.
“As a matter of fact, several strong members of the ruling and opposition parties are either facing trial before the courts or being investigated by the Commission.
“It is needful that Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Commission is keeping faith with its Establishment Act in all its operations.
“Therefore, the Commission reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate,” the statement pointed out.