2023 GENERAL ELECTION: INEC, Transportation Partners Meet On Logistics Requirements … Urges neutrality
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday met with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), on the 2023 general election and other elections, at Abuja.
In his goodwill message, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu who noted that the issue of logistics has been a perennial problem in election administration in Nigeria, disclosed that it is why for three electoral cycles now, INEC has collaborated with the road transport unions to address the problem. For the 2023 General Election. He further explained that the Commission included the Marine Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) for efficient maritime transportation.
“The time has come to stop all excuses and provide effective logistics to ensure hitch-free logistics on Election Day. Nigerians should not wait for the arrival of personnel and materials at the polling units. Rather, we should be there waiting for the arrival of voters. We believe that this is achievable. Recent elections have shown that working in partnership with the unions and other stakeholders, we can achieve the objective. This is a patriotic duty and we should make the necessary sacrifice in the national interest”, Yakubu stressed.
INEC Chairman said the Commission is working with the security agencies to ensure the safety of members and their vehicles during the election as well as election duty personnel, adding that the Unions will be represented in the Situation Room to coordinate the deployment of vehicles and the security of drivers as was done previously.
To address the fuel scarcity the Commission will partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to look into ways to ameliorate the situation, the INEC Boss said.
“I cannot conclude my remarks without reminding you of your obligation to neutrality. The work of INEC requires non-partisanship. Working in partnership with the Commission, you will be required to subscribe to the Oath of Neutrality and to demonstrate your non-partisanship in the work you do on Election Day”, he said.
