Ahead of the November 11 Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states governorship elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) engaged Electoral Officers and Leaders of Transport Unions to review logistic arrangements.
The commission said the engagement became imperative to undertake a comprehensive post-election review, and to learn critical lessons for future elections.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Abuja , the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the interface was part of the post election review meeting of the 2023 general election.
He emphasised that the meeting provides an opportunity to interact on a wide range of themes, covering of which ten critical areas are highlighted for discussion.
The chairman recalled that the meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held two weeks ago, signaled commencement of the review of the just concluded election.
Yakubu added that the meeting with RECs was followed a week later by State level review meetings nationwide involving the regular staff and ad hoc officials of the commission.
His tated: “Today, we commence a more focused engagement at national level with the Commission’s frontline officials, the Electoral Officers (EOs).
“We also considered it appropriate to interface with transport providers to review logistic arrangements by inviting the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN).”
The Chairman said there was no doubt that the success of any election primarily depends on the ability to deploy personnel and materials to various locations.
He added: “I therefore urge you to lend your wealth of experience to the discussions in order to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses for immediate improvement in forthcoming elections, especially the three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States scheduled to hold on Saturday 11th November 2023.”
Yakubu noted that in line with the Commission’s policy, when the review engagements are completed, a comprehensive report would be prepared.
Earlier, the Chairman, Planning, Monitoring and Strategic Committee (PMSC) Prof. Rhoda Gumus, noted that the just concluded 2023 general election involved the nationwide deployment of both personnel and quantity of materials to the State offices, Local Government Areas, Wards, and polling Units, across the length and breadth of the country.
He said holding the meeting became imperative, after the successful conduct and conclusion of the 2023 general election.