Jega defends creation of additional polling units

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has justified the creation of over 30, 000 polling units across the country.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Jega argued that contrary to the belief that the action was motivated by mischief, INEC arrived at the decision in order to improve the electoral process ahead of the 2015 general election.

The distribution of the polling units earned the electoral body public opprobrium, as the process saw the even distribution of 121 units to all 36 states of the country and more units to other states with the exception of Bayelsa, Enugu, Ekiti, Anambra and Osun.

Earlier on Wednesday, the southern elders under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, called for the removal of the INEC boss, alleging that he has lost his credibility.

Wondering the rationale behind the increase of polling units when the number of registered voters had reduced from 70 million to 57 million, the elders accused him of bias.

However, Jega maintained that the action was taken in the interest of the country and that it was only being misinterpreted based on the general level of mistrust.

He explained that the additional polling units would decongest of overcrowded polling units, situate polling units at effective places and encourage other factors that could ensure the smooth conduct of the forthcoming election.

“It is quite understandable, albeit regrettable that, given the low level of public trust in governance institutions in our clime, and the acrimony that attends to the “distribution” or “allocation’” of virtually anything in our country, people tend to view every policy decision with some suspicion,” he said.

“In recent times, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under unjustified criticism from certain interests over its decision to sanitise the Polling Units (PUs) structure ahead of the 2015 general elections.

“INEC’s decision to re-configure the structure of polling units as well as create additional ones is driven by our collective aspirations as Nigerians to reform and improve upon the electoral process for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in 2015 and beyond.

“There is no sectional or parochial agenda in this decision, as this press conference will prove, and there will never be any such agenda under this commission.

“The basic aim of the exercise we are presently undertaking is to ease the access of voters to the ballot box in the 2015 general elections and beyond.”

He emphasised that the commission remains an umpire, and implored Nigerians to see INEC as a competent organisation capable of organising elections that conform to the best standard.

“I must therefore emphasise that the motive of INEC in restructuring the existing polling units and creating more is sincere and well-intentioned,” he said.

“The commission implores all Nigerians to set aside primordial sentiments and view the exercise with dispassion and patriotism, taking into account the lofty objectives that the new structure of polling units is intended to achieve.

“Finally, I wish to categorically state that all the conspiracy theories and mischievous assertions and perceptions of parochial intentions of the commission are totally false.

“INEC remains focused and committed to taking patriotic decisions, which are in the best interest of our country and the voters, so as to keep on satisfying the aspirations of Nigerians for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.

“We will continue to do this with the best standards of integrity, impartiality and non- partisanship expected of us an election management body. I hope that with this clarification, we will put the unnecessary and unwholesome controversy on the matter of additional polling units to rest.”