The Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has said over 100,000 vehicles and about 4,200 boats will be needed to convey personnel and sensitive materials to the various polling units in the 2023 general elections.
This is as he assured Nigerians of the timely arrival of materials and personnel on election day.
Speaking at the signing of the revised Memorandum of Understanding between INEC and road transport and marine workers’ unions in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday, Yakubu explained that the revised MoU had been designed to facilitate the successful deployment of personnel and materials on election day.
But political parties said the commission should have called for bids rather than settle for transport unions based solely on their national identities.
Highlighting the logistics required for the polls, Yakubu said, “The 2023 general election will involve the nationwide deployment of over 1 million personnel and massive quantities of materials twice within two weeks from our state offices to 774 local government areas, 8,809 electoral wards, and 176,846 polling units across the length and breadth of our country.
The commission chairman noted that the movement of all vehicles and boats would be electronically tracked to ensure that personnel and materials are not hijacked or diverted.
He also said the commission had decided to extend the MoU to accommodate the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria to curb the hiccups experienced in the deployment of materials and personnel in the riverine areas.
He urged the leadership of the unions to effectively supervise their members in the various chapters and branches for the full implementation of the MoU, adding, “We will therefore require your members to swear and strictly adhere to this oath and the INEC Code of Conduct for Electoral Officials as your participation in the delivery of electoral logistics requires absolute neutrality and non-partisanship.”
Yakubu also directed resident electoral commissioners to collaborate with the federal regulatory and safety agencies to ensure the road/seaworthiness and safety standards of the vehicles and boats.
