By Akinwale Kasali
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced its preparedness for the 2023 General election with a call on the Media, stakeholders and political parties to partner the Commission in sensitizing the electorate as the election draws closer.
At a stakeholders and media parley held at Archbishop Vining Memorial Hall, Ikeja, Lagos, the newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Olusegun Agbaje, had his first appearance to familiarize with stakeholders, where he said the Commission is working tirelessly in its effort to conduct a free, fair and credible election in continuation of its drive to become one of the best Election Management Bodies, EMBs, that meets the aspiration of Nigerians.
Agbaje added that the Commission has signed the electoral act 2022 as amended, and also released the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2023 general election, urging the media to help in sensitizing the electorate on the need to register and get their Permanent Voters Card and exercise their franchise as the continuous voters registration exercise is still ongoing.
Speaking further, he said the Commission has continued the Continuous Voters Registration, CVR, exercise through its online platforms on https://cvr.inecnigeria.org or https://cvr.Inec.gov.ng on 28th June, 2021, as well as the physical registration otherwise known as in person registration on 26th July, 2021 in all the States and Local Government Area Offices of the Commission across the country and ended on 21st September, 2021.
He also urged party leaders and the media to assist the Commission in educating the voters in the state to take advantage and make very good use of the opportunity provided by the new polling units and to let the public know how to properly utilise the new polling units by transferring their voting locations to the ones nearest to them in the ongoing continuous voter registration at the State office, or any of the Commission’s offices in the 20 Local Government Areas.
Agbaje added that apart from providing platforms for the dissemination of information to the public, the media have the responsibility to ensure that their platforms are not used for the dissemination of fake news, as well as ensuring equal opportunities for all political parties and candidates by not giving room to sensational communication from any quarters.
He added that prior to the expansion of Voters Access to Polling Units across the Federation by the Commission in June, last year, Lagos State had 8,464 Polling Units, which has increased to 13,325 after the exercise as a result of the conversion of 4,861 Voting Points to Polling Units located closer to some voters who used to trek long distances to cast their votes during elections in the past.
