As part of its preparation for the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has created 4, 861 new polling units in Lagos State, with the Alimosho Local Government Area having the highest number of new polling units of 1, 545 and followed by Kosofe local government with 899 new polling units.
This was disclosed by the Residents Electoral Commission (REC) in Lagos state, Sam Olumekun, on Monday during the electoral body’s expanded ‘Stakeholders Meeting On Implementation Of Expansion Of Voter Access To Polling Units’ in the state.
Olumekun stated that the implementation of expanding voter access to polling units would decongest existing polling units by reducing the number of voters per polling unit.
He added further that it would improve the quality of access to electoral services, adding that it would aid in consolidating Nigeria’s democracy and enhance transparency.
Accordingly to him,” The Commission has approved the modalities for continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise nationwide. The exercise which will commence on June 28, 2021, will entail voter registration for those that have newly attained the age of 18years and above and persons that have not registered, whole voters can also use this window to update the status of their PVCs.
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“For the exercise, the Commission will deploy a new technology known as INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVED) which allows online registration as an alternative method for those who have access to internet facilities to re-register thereby reducing the inconveniences on voters. However, they will appear physically for biometrics and facial capture at either State office or Local government office”.
He urged Nigerians to come out en-masse during elections to exercise their voting right, saying that the electoral body was concerned about voter apathy.
Speaking with journalists, the State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Tunde Balogun, commended the electoral body for the creation of more polling units in the state, adding that it would further encourage more political participation among the people and that it would deepen Nigeria’s democracy.
Balogun said the new polling units would reduce voter apathy and give room for greater involvement of citizens in the electoral process.
However, the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Deji Doherty, urged INEC to create special polling units for physically challenged people, saying that provisions were not made for them in the exercise.
Doherty said the PDP expects INEC to create polling units in the riverine areas of the state, saying that voters in the areas always find it hard to participate in the electoral process during elections.
He said his party would still write the electoral body on the exercise.
The stakeholders meeting was attended by various state chairpersons of the political parties, the Community Development Committee (CDC), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
