Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said it has removed polling units from ‘inappropriate’ places and worship centres across the country.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed this at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, unveiled the locations of newly created 56,872 Polling Units and also announced other electoral arrangements.
With the creation of the new Polling Units, Yakubu said Nigeria now has 176,846 full-fledged Polling Units against its initial 119,974 Polling Units in the states and Abuja.
According to Premium Times, the total number of polling units removed from ‘inappropriate places’ is 749.
“After wide ranging consultations with stakeholders and fieldwork by our officials, the 56,872 Voting Points and Voting Point Settlements were converted and added to the existing 119,974 Polling Units,” Yakubu said.
“Consequently, the Commission is glad to report that 25 years since the current Polling Units were created in 1996, the hard nut is finally and successfully cracked after several unsuccessful attempts. Nigeria now has 176,846 full-fledged Polling Units.”
“Of this figure, 232 were removed from private properties, 145 royal palaces, six mosques, 21 churches and nine shrines. The remaining 336 Polling Units were relocated for various reasons which include distance, difficult terrain, congestion, communal conflict, new settlements and general insecurity.”
Yakubu said Nigeria would no longer use Voting Points.