The Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reduced the number of polling units ahead of the general elections which will begin on February 25.
The commission has excluded 240 polling units from the number of registered polling stations where the election will be held in the country.
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How it started
In 1996, Nigeria had a total of 119,974 polling units. Due to rising population, the commission tried to establish more polling units for easy access by voters, but it yielded no results. Instead, settlements and polling points were established.
Years later, in 2021, the electoral body established 56,872 polling units, thereby converting all polling points to polling units. The new 56,872 polling units and existing 119,974 centres made up 176,846 registered polling units across the country.
Reduction of Polling units
A total of 240 polling units have been removed from the 176,846 accredited polling units in the country. This cuts across 27 states across the six geo-political zones in the country, leaving the number of current polling units at 176,606. This means that the number of polling units in Nigeria has risen by 47 percent in 27 years.
Therefore, the general elections will be held in 176,606 polling units across the country.
On regional basis, the South-East has the highest number of exclusions, with 68 polling units removed. The North-East has 63; North-Central, 49; and North-West, 47. The South-South and the South-West have the least number of polling units excluded with eight and five respectively.
The states affected include: Imo, Bauchi, Delta, Jigawa, Benue, Kebbi, Kwara, and Lagos, among others.
Absence of registered voters
The INEC chairman, Mr. Mahmood Yakubu, gave reasons for the exclusion. He said the election would not take place in those excluded areas due to lack of registered voters in those locations.
He said, “There are 240 polling units without registered voters spread across 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). They range from one polling unit to 12 polling units in each State and the FCT, except Taraba and Imo states with 34 and 38 polling units respectively.
“No new registrants chose the polling units and no voters indicated interest to transfer to them during the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), mainly for security reasons. This means that no elections will be held in these polling units.
“You may recall that in 2021, with your support and that of other critical stakeholders, the Commission successfully expanded voter access to polling units 25 years after the last delimitation exercise in 1996. Consequently, the number of polling units increased from 119,973 to the current figure of 176,846.
“From the feedback we received from our officials and accredited observers following the recent nationwide mock accreditation using the BVAS, it is clear that some voters could not easily identify their polling units. This should not happen on election day,” he said.
Implications
An elections expert, Chinedu Egbuna, explained that the increase in the number of polling units was an indication that INEC was responding to Nigeria’s realities.
“The population is increasing and the number of potential voters are also on the rise. What that means is that INEC is responding to the demographic changes and is trying to reach people at the grassroots. Someone in a remote area deserves to vote at a polling unit closest to them.
“This is also an indication that there will be more pollling units and delineations in the next general election in 2027. I am happy that INEC is interested in more public participation in the electoral process,” he added.