Ever voted in a shrine? INEC has relocated 9 polling units from there

While some Nigerians trooped out to vote in past elections, others found their way to shrines.

They were not in the shrines for any form of libation or for incantations. Like the other voters, the second group of persons were also out to cast their votes.

Until Wednesday, Nigeria had nine of its polling units in shrines scattered across the country, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Not just shrines; churches had also hosted 21 polling units while mosques had six of them.

Thankfully, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Speaking at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, announced that the polling units have been moved to appropriate locations.

Yakubu said they were relocated alongside 713 others that were not accessible.

He said the move was “in line with our policy to guarantee unencumbered access to polling units for all voters”.

“Of this figure, 232 were removed from private properties, 145 royal palaces, 6 mosques, 21 churches and 9 shrines,” he said.

“The remaining 336 polling units were relocated for various reasons which include distance, difficult terrain, congestion, communal conflict, new settlements and general insecurity.”

So, have you ever voted in a shrine?