From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has created 56,872 additional polling units bringing the number of full-fledged Polling Units (PUs) to 176,846.

The electoral umpire also removed 749 of the PUs from churches, shrines and private homes in a move interpreted to mean the ban on voting in places of worship.

It, however, fixed June 18, 2022 for Ekiti governorship election and July 16, 2022 for same exercise in Osun State.

The commission Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this in an address during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, yesterday.

He said the decision to create additional 56,872 PUs was taken after wide ranging consultations with stakeholders.

“Consequently, the commission is glad to report that 25 years since the current PUs were created in 1996, the hard nut is finally and successfully cracked after several unsuccessful attempts. Nigeria now has 176,846 full-fledged PUs. 

“Similarly, after consultation with stakeholders, the commission has successfully removed 749 PUs from inappropriate locations to appropriate public facilities or open spaces in line with our policy to guarantee unencumbered access to PUs for all voters. Of this figure, 232 were removed from private property, 145 royal palaces, six mosques, 21 churches and nine shrines. The remaining 336 PUs were relocated for various reasons which include distance, difficult terrain, congestion, communal conflict, new settlements and general insecurity,” he said.

Giving further breakdown, the electoral umpire boss said: “However, in view of the advanced preparations already made by the commission, four pending bye-elections in Kaduna, Jigawa and Plateau states will be the last to be conducted using a combination of polling units and voting points.”

According to the timetable and schedule of activities for the two elections, INEC would release notice for Ekiti State governorship election on January 3, 2022

The commission also schedule conduct of parties’ primaries for the state election between January 4, to January 29, 2022.

Yakubu said campaigns by political parties would begin on March 20, 2022 and end on June 16, 2022, while the final list of candidates for the election will be released on May 19, 2022.

For Osun State, the notice of election, according to the timetable, would be issued on February 15, 2022.

Also, parties’ primaries and resolutions of disputes arising from the exercise are scheduled to hold from February 16, 2022 to March 12, 2022.

The campaigns by political parties for the state election is expected to start on April 17, 2022 and end on July 14, 2022.

Yakubu said April 8, 2022 is scheduled as the last day for withdrawal/replacement of candidates by political parties, and June 16, 2022 for publication of final candidates for Osun governorship election.

Yakubu said looking to the near future, the commission was preparing to conduct the remaining off-season end of tenure elections ahead of the 2023 general election.

He said already activities listed in the timetable for the Anambra State governorship election were being implemented.

“So, too are those of the FCT council elections holding on February 12, 2022,” Yakubu said.