The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has created additional 35,000 polling points ahead of the rescheduled general elections.
There are 120,000 polling units in the country. An Attempt by the commission to increase it to 150,000 was received with mixed reactions, forcing it to drop the idea.
The Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Dr. Chris Iyimoga, who broke the news of additional polling points yesterday, argued that the essence was to allow for ease of voting process.
Iyimoga, in a chat with reporters on the state of the commission’s preparedness for the elections, said the idea was unanimously agreed upon.
He noted that the exercise was meant to break down polling units with high numbers of voters in excess of one thousand.
Reacting to questions, he explained that the polling points were created within the polling units, stressing that the exercise was done only in areas with high number of registered voters in excess of one thousand and above.
Dr. Iyimoga also announced that the commission would be meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) and political parties next week to review activities towards the elections.
He added that about 55,232,875 have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He noted that officially, the collection of the PVCs would end on Sunday, March 8.
He, however, did not rule out an extension, especially for those whose PVCs were among the last batch expected this week.
The commission, he said, would make a statement on that. – The Nation.
