2023: Elections won’t hold in 240 polling units, says INEC Chairman

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

Less than two weeks to the forthcoming general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has revealed that there are 240 polling units where elections will not hold in the country.

The affected 240 polling units, according to the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, are those without registered voters and are spread across 28 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The INEC Chairman made the disclosure on Monday at a meeting with leaders of the registered political parties in the country, held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He however pointed out that the Commission is concerned about violent attacks on supporters of political parties across the board, resulting in the loss of lives in some cases.

The INEC Chairman therefore appealed to Chairman and leaders of political parties to continue to call their candidates and supporters to order.

He also called 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.

The said 240 polling units, Yakubu explained, range from one polling unit to 12 polling units in each State and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, except Taraba and Imo States with 34 and 38 polling units respectively.

His words, “However, there are 240 polling units without registered voters spread across

28 States and the Federal Capital Territory (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.

“In our avowed commitment to transparency, the Commission is making available to Nigerians a comprehensive list of these polling units by name, code number and their locations by State, Local

Government and Registration Area.

“With this development, the number of polling units where elections will hold nationwide on 25th February 2023 and 11th March 2023 is now 176,606.

“Above all, Nigerians deserve the right to know the locations of these polling units. Accordingly, the soft copy of the list has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information and guidance”, he said.

Continuing, the INEC Chairman said, “Turning to the ongoing electioneering campaigns, the Commission is concerned about violent attacks on supporters of political parties across the board, resulting in the loss of life in some cases.

“Let me once again appeal to Chairman and leaders of political parties to continue to call your 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.

Prof Yakubu stressed that the Commission is 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 the Chairmen and leaders of political parties to ensure that only agents accredited by the Commission and wearing the correct identification tags appear at polling units and collation centres during elections.

He however warned, “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” he said.