The Senate has stated that they will refuse the granting approval to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on their quest for more Polling Units, if they fail to stick to the warnings given to them by Senate. The Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, "Senator Andy Ubah" stated this with journalists earlier on an interview. He said that it's not wrong or a bad idea to add more polling units as was advocated by INEC, rather the timing is what is wrong, since elections is around the corner.
In his words he stated “We have sent a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and we expressed our reservations over the planned creation of additional polling units across the country.
“What he is doing is good but the timing is wrong. We are close to an election year and we have so many displaced people in the north-eastern part of the country. So, where will the INEC put the new polling units?
If they (INEC) continue with it (creation of new polling centres), we will pass a resolution to overrule it. It is simple. And once we pass our resolution, is he going to go ahead, saying that he doesn’t care?
“There are consequences when you say you don’t care, that is what it is, but I know he (Jega) is a gentle man and he is a man that keeps to his words. We had a meeting and (we) had sent him a letter.
“He should know that his integrity, from what people are saying, is at stake. However, that it is not our business. And I believe that there is nothing he has in mind against anybody or anything.”
He emphatically stated that with the teeming registered voters in the country, there is every need by the INEC to call for the addition of more polling units, but the problem is the time is so short, as there won't be enough time for INEC to educate the people, and get them acquainted with the new development. He also maintained confidence on the positive conclusion of the Electoral Act Amendment that is ongoing, and said that it would be concluded once the Senate resumes session owing to the Sallah break.
Also, the appointment of Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu and Mr. Ebenezer Foby as the Director-General and Commissioner of the National Pension Commission was confirmed by the Senate yesterday.
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