The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kaduna State on Tuesday disclosed it had created additional 2,910 polling units as it began online registration of voters in the state.
The acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Awwal Mashi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
Mashi said the additional polling units were created to ease election process and make it convenient for the electorate to cast their votes.
He said Kaduna State now had a total of 8,012 polling units, as against the initial 5,102, which could not cater for the increased number of registered voters.
“Kaduna has had 5,102 polling units since 1996 and there had been an increase in the number of registered voters, as such it became necessary to have additional voting units.
“We had 2,910 voting points and when the Commission sought for input, it was advised we convert those 2,910 voting points to full-fledged polling units.
“If you add the 2,910 voting points with the 5,102 original polling units we had in the state, it will give you a total 8,012.
“We now have peace of mind because where we had polling unit that catered for over 3,000 to 4,000 people, we now have about four or five polling units created.
“In Rigasa settlement for instance, we used to have one polling unit that has five to six thousand registered voters in a unit that should cater for maximum of 700 people,” he said.
According to him, INEC will monitor the situation and with time, full exercise will commence especially at rural areas that have no access to the internet facilities.
The REC said the Commission would ensure adequate publicity through the media with a view to intimating electorate on the new polling units. (NAN)
