The Election Working Group of the Nigeria Bar Association has called for the review of the Electoral Act 2010 to give Presiding Officers the discretion to create a separate queue for the elderly during elections.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja and signed by the Chairman of the group, Dafe Akpedeye.
“We recommend that the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended, should be further amended to give presiding officers the discretion to create a separate queue for the elderly during elections,” the statement said.
It also observed that senior citizens used to have a hectic time coping with younger people on the queue, even though they were allowed in some instances to have the first go.
It said that some of them could hardly withstand the harsh weather and the surging crowds at some of the polling units.
According to the statement, creation of a separate queue for senior citizens will encourage them to remain engaged with the electoral process and continue to perform their civic responsibility.
The statement stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission to accelerate the process of constituency delineation before the 2015 general elections.
It said: “Some of the polling units are located in front of or too close to residential buildings despite the availability of schools and other public places near such dwellings.
“The location of some of these polling units very close to people’s houses does not make for secrecy of the votes and independent electoral action by the voters.”
It noted that it was important to move such polling stations away from residential accommodation and awkward locations to schools and other public places.
The statement also urged INEC to move toward the use of Electronic Voting Machines for elections, adding that the commission had the capacity to use such devices.
On voter education, the group advised all political stakeholders, especially political parties, to carry out more effective civic education to increase the electorate’s involvement in future elections.
It emphasised the need for security agencies to have enhanced enlightenment on the various electoral offences with a view to having better understanding of their responsibilities.
