30,000 Polling Units: The timing is wrong -Senate

The Senate on Tuesday  described the creation of additional 30,000 polling units by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a good development but said the timing is wrong.

Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Andy Uba, who made this known while speaking  with journalists, said the Senate has made its position known waiting for the Chairman, INEC, Prof.  Jega to rescind the its decision.

He said, “We have sent a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and we expressed our reservations over the planned creation of additional polling units across the country.

“What he is doing is good but the timing is wrong. We are close to an election year and we have so many displaced people in the North eastern part of the country. So where will the INEC put the new polling units?

“If they (INEC) continue with it (new polling centress), we will pass a resolution to overrule it. It is simple, and once we pass our resolution is he going to go ahead that he doesn’t care?

“There are consequences when you say you don’t care, that is what it is but I know he (Jega) is a gentle man and he is a man that keep to his words we had a meeting and had sent him a letter.

“He should know that his integrity from what people are saying, is at  stake but that is not our business. And I don’t believe that there is nothing he has in mind against anybody or anything”

Uba who explained that the exercise would go a long way to solve the problems which the electorate usually encounter at polling centres, however maintained that the grouse of his committee with INEC was the timing.

He said, “There are over 4000 registered voters in Wuse 2 in Abuja for instance and  you know the inconvenience when 4000 people are expected to queue up  in line. It is not possible for all of them to be accredited before voting would start. Many people will come and would be turned back.

“It (the exercise)  is a good idea but the timing is wrong that is all we are saying. Nobody is saying what they did was wrong and some people are saying there is ulterior motive, there is no ulterior motives in it, that is not the issue.

“INEC needs time to educate people to let them know that their names had been moved to a different Polling Unit, but it is good idea because it will decongest these Polling Units, 500 names each, it makes things work faster.

“When you come in you will get accredited and you will vote and go but when you have 4000 names in  centre that is a problem.”