INEC Removes Polling Units From Shrines, Churches, Mosques, Houses Of Politicians

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has said it would continue to stand for integrity in other to ensure a free, fair and credible election at next year’s polls.

According to the commission, part of such moves was the removal of polling units from shrines, churches, mosques, and homes of politicians.

Naija News gathered that the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, noted that the removal of polling units from such locations was also a move to guarantee electoral integrity.

Okoye, who made this disclosure on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, explained that such locations were not considered by the commission as appropriate for electoral business.

He, therefore, appealed to electorates to understand the commission and also support INEC’s efforts to ensure free and fair elections in 2023 at the polls.

He said, “We removed polling units from the palaces of traditional rulers; we removed polling units that are near the homes of politicians; we removed polling units that are in shrines; we also removed polling units from places we consider not conducive for electoral business.”

Meanwhile, Naija News earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has come out to state clearly that he doesn’t want any excuses from INEC ahead of the 2023 general election.

According to the president, resources were released to INEC in good time to avoid any excuses that might cause a hitch in the smooth conduct of the election next year.

Naija News gathered that President Buhari made this pronouncement on Friday in Washington DC in response to a question on INEC’s readiness for the 2023 elections at an interactive session titled, ‘A conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria.’

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in a statement signed on Saturday said the event was co-hosted by the United State Institute of Peace, the International Republican Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

According to the statement titled USIP, the president noted that INEC has no excuses based on funds shortage.

President Buhari stated that “I made sure they were given all the resources they asked for because I don’t want any excuses that they were denied funds by the government.”