INEC Makes 3 Appeals To NNPC For ‘Pleasant Election Experience’

– Says Kyari-led NNPC Transparent, Committed To National Interest

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified the NNPC Limited as a “critical institution” that can help the commission deliver a pleasant experience to Nigerians during the forthcoming general election.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, stated this when he met with the Mele Kyari-led management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) at the NNPC TOWERS on Thursday in Abuja.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that during his meeting with members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Yakubu said partnering with the NNPC was crucial to guaranteeing the sufficient supply of petroleum products for INEC’s hired vehicles and boats to be deployed across the country for the national and state elections taking place on February 25 and March 11, respectively.

The commission had said more than 1.4 million ad-hoc staff and 200,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines would be deployed to 176,846 polling units nationwide during the national and state elections.

To avoid issues with logistics, Yakubu sought the assistance of the NNPC in three areas during his meeting with Kyari.

They include, “i. The use of the NNPC land and floating mega stations nationwide to service our election duty vehicles and boats. We will bear the cost of the products. By doing so, there will be guaranteed supply for elections;

“ii. A special arrangement with other marketers in locations where the NNPC may not have dedicated stations; and

“iii. Consider other options to support our seamless operations on Election Day.”

During his remarks, the INEC boss thank Kyari and NNPC management for accepting to meet with the commission without hesitation, Saying “This is an affirmation of the openness of the national oil company and its commitment to the national interest.”

He added, “Nigerian election is huge and complex. Election is the biggest logistical operation that Nigeria undertakes every four years. 93,469,008 registered voters are expected to elect a President, 28 State Governors and 1,462 legislators (109 Senators, 360 members of House of Representatives and 993 members of State Houses of Assembly). The Commission is mobilising about 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats for the deployment of personnel and materials to 176,846 polling units spread across 8,809 Registration Areas (or electoral Wards) in 774 Local Government Areas nationwide.

“Earlier this morning, we had a meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). We are working with them as well as the Marine Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to mobilise the vehicles and boats needed for the massive land and riverine movement of men and materials for the election. We are determined to overcome the perennial challenge of late commencement of polls on grounds of logistics.

“However, this objective cannot be fully accomplished without the guaranteed supply of petroleum products to facilitate the movement of vehicles and boats. Hence, in our effort to mobilise every national institution to give Nigerians a pleasant experience on Election Day, the Commission believes that the NNPC, as our national oil company, is one of the critical institutions that can facilitate the attainment of our objective. We are aware of the efforts of the NNPC to ease the current situation in earnest.”