Receives 45 applications for new parties
expanding existing polling units is very necessary to reduce overcrowding of voters during elections and also bring polling units closer to the people.”
The REC noted that INEC would continue to address the issue of polling units after the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), adding that many eligible voters refused to vote on days of elections because of the distance to polling units.
He, however, disclosed that before the enumeration of the registration areas in Kwara State, there were 1,872 polling units in the 16 local government areas of the state.
He explained that, “The breakdown of the 2,887 polling units has Asa Local Government Area (LGA) with 145 polling units, Baruten 230, Edu 175, Ekiti 76 and Ifelodun 236.
“Ilorin East has 320 polling units while Ilorin South has 275, Ilorin West 464, Irepodun 158, Isin 80, Kaiama 124, Moro 142, Offa 173, Oke Ero 76, Oyun 108 and Patigi 105 polling units.”
In another development, INEC said it has received 45 new applications from associations seeking to be registered as political parties.
INEC had on 6 February 2020, deregistered 74 parties for failing to satisfy the requirements of the Fourth Alteration to the Constitutional Electoral Act 2020 (as amended).
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said at the weekend in Abuja, that the commission has received 45 new applications so far.
He, however, warned that the associations must be ready to canvass for votes and sponsor candidates for elections the moment they are registered as political parties.
“Presently, the commission is processing 45 applications received from various associations. It is a constitutional and legal obligation and mandate, and the commission will register any of them that satisfies the constitutional threshold,” he said.
The commission also said it has established 1,374 more polling units in Akwa Ibom state.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mike Igini, who stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting on “Expansion of Voters Access and Establishment of New Polling Units” at the weekend in Uyo said with the creation, the state now has 4,354 polling units.