Osun ’22: INEC Takes Polling Units From Controversial Areas

Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed reports,

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has annouced its relocation of the polling units situated in controversial places as the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun State knocks forward.

During a stakeholders’ conference organised by the electoral body in Osogbo, Professor AbdulGaniyu Raji who is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for INEC in Osun, made this known on Tuesday.

“Polling units were moved away from controversial areas such as the front of houses of politicians, front of palaces, religious centres, either to open spaces or public buildings,” he said.

“This action is to ensure adequate security and peaceful elections. Flashpoints have been identified and strategies (have been) mapped out to resolve issues that can truncate the election process.”

The REC spoke about the conversion of voting points to polling units in a way to ensure the expansion of voter access to polling units.

When asked by our correspondent, Prof Raji confirmed that all non-sensitive materials to be used in Saturday’s election have been batched to the polling unit level and ready to be conveyed to the various Registration Area Centres (RACs).

The electoral officer confirmed that the commission has completed the production of maps of all polling units in the state – both electronically and hardcopy – to enable easy access to the locations of polling units by electoral officials.

He gave that poll officials have been prepared for the exercise and ready for deployment, vowing that the security operatives in the state have been given the necessary trainings.

He maintained the successful conduct of mock accreditation in some local government areas to ensure the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and readiness assessment of the election process.

Meanwhile, he pledged that the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) at the registration area and ward levels is ongoing to make certain that no eligible voter is disenfranchised.