By Anthony Ojo.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has commenced the process of creating additional polling units in Ekiti state.
Part of the processes is a meeting with election stakeholders in the state in a bid to achieve success in the exercise.
In his welcome address at the meeting which was held in Ado-Ekiti, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Dr. Adeniran Tella explained that the expansion of polling units was in accordance with section forty two of the Electoral Act, saying guidelines for the success of the exercise had been drawn.
Dr. Tella said people were attaining voting age on yearly basis, thereby leading to congestion of existing polling units.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner listed some of the objectives of the exercise to include decongestion of polling units, improved access to electoral services and addressing declining voters turn out among others.
According to him, the the exercise will also entail conversion of existing voting points and voting point settlements into full polling units.
He reminded the people of Ekiti State that continuous voters registration would commence on June 28, urging those who just turned eighteen, those who could not participate in previous exercise and those who want to transfer their voter cards from one place to another to partake in the exercise.
Some of the stakeholders including the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC in Ekiti State, Mr. Paul Omotoso and the State Chairman of IPAC, Mr. Ifedayo Iyaniwura commended INEC for its decision to expand polling units in the country.
On his part, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ekiti State chapter, Reverend Father Peter Olowolafe urged the electoral body to uphold its vision of ensuring credible polls and work towards addressing vote buying during elections.
The Secretary of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities in Ekiti State, Mr. Funso Olajide appealed to INEC to train its Adhoc staff on the need to make polling units accessible to persons with disabilities.
