As di 2023 general election dey draw near, chairman of di Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, don tok say dis year election go be one of inclusivity as voters go get access to more polling units.
Mahmood Yakubu for im analysis about di Nigeria coming election for Chatham House for London say “If pesin get right to vote but no get where to vote, di right dey nominal”.
E add say when di commission bin start di programme to expand voter access to polling units, one of di objectives be to relocate polling units to better facilities where e dey necessary and available.
INEC oga add say bifo di exercise, some polling units bin dey forests, shrines, dilapidated buildings and homes of ‘big men’
“Dis one sometimes dey affect access for some politically targeted voters and some of di places no dey good for pipo wit disability”.
“I dey happy say most of dis problematic polling units don dey relocated and voters go now get better voting experience for 2023 dan bifo”.
INEC say na dis one make dem work wit some ogbonge stakeholders to expand voter access to polling units for 2021, as pesin wey get right to vote suppose get where to vote.
“ For di end of di exercise, di first inside 25 years since 1996, Nigeria now don get 176,846 polling units as against 119,974 wey dey bifo”
Nigeria election be di biggest for West Africa
Oga Mahmood say elections for Nigeria dey attract international attention and concerns sake of di kontri importance. And to conduct general election for di kontri no be small tin, e add.
“Based on figures wey dey compiled from electoral commissions and interior ministries for West Africa, Nigeria current voter population dey 16.7 million higher dan di 76.7 million pipo wey register for all di oda kontries put together – and e get 14 oda elections for di sub-region.
Oga Mahmud explain say wetin dat one mean be say general election for Nigeria be like to conduct election for di whole of West Africa and beyond.
Di INEC oga say na youths go dominate dis year election as records wey dey ground don show say young Nigerians register wella to vote for di election.
“Even di majority of di PVCs wey dey collected be by by young pipo.”
“Out of di 93.4 million, 70.4 million registered voters dey between di ages of 18 and 49, Oga Mahmood tok.
“good elections no be only to curb malpractices but also to ensure inclusivity” Oga Mahmoud tok.
On top matter of postponement of election, INEC Oga say di commission no dey reason or plan to shift di 2023 general election, as dem dey go ahead to carry am out as e dey scheduled for February 25th and March 11 dis year.
Oga Mahmoud also add say even though e bin get plenti challenges and expectations wey INEC dey face, but dem dem enjoy “ogbonge” goodwill for Nigeria and beyond as electoral bodi.
“We fit overcome di challenges and make sure say elections kontinu to better,” E tok.
Early preparation for di elections
Mahmoud Yakubu say INEC don start to prepare for dis 2023 election since 18 months ago. E say di reason be say one of di important lessons wey dem learn from di 2019 election be say great planning and preparations dey important. say di
E say early choice of election technology management tools, especially the main election technology dey critical to dia sucess
E add say INEC don also improve on di technology wey dem go use for di election but say im no go disclose di new tin wey dem do to improve am.
According to oga Mahmoud, politicians dey often try to spoil process by attack on technology, or make dem dey casting doubts say tins go work wella.
E add say dis na why di commission adopt early voter accreditation technology, wit use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
Oga Mahmoud come remind di public say collection of PVCs go end for January 29.
E add say “we ghatz end am sake of bifo di election we go publish di number of PVCs wey dey collected on polling unit by polling unit basis nationwide.”
