The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), FCT State office for the conduct of free and fair elections in the nation’s capital.
The Minister who gave the commendation during the stakeholders meeting on the expansion of voter access and conversion of existing voting points and settlements for easy access for prospective voters in Abuja, said the FCT Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), has truly demonstrated the role of an unbiased umpire in the conduct of elections in the Territory.
The Minister who was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, further praised FCT INEC for taking the bold step to expand voter access as well as converting existing voting points and settlements for easy access for prospective voters.
He assured stakeholders that the new development would encourage a large turnout of voters during the forthcoming election in the Territory.
Malam Bello further explained that the new initiative would engender the principle of one-man, one-vote, adding that the early commencement of the exercise is another plus for the electoral body for being proactive in terms of handling election matters.
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The Minister who charged the six Area Councils Chairmen to go back to the grassroots and sensitize their people on the new development said all hands must be on deck to achieve this laudable feat.
He, therefore, called on politicians in the Territory to abide by election rules and regulations for peace to continue to reign in FCT.
Earlier, the FCT INEC Resident Electoral Commission, Alhaji Yahaya Bello explained that the new move of conversion of voting points and voting settlements into full fledge Polling Units is in line with the provision of section 42 of the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended.
According to him, the objective of the new initiative is to site Polling Units in places that are more accessible for voters, with a view to decongesting Polling Units to a lower threshold of a minimum of five hundred persons and a maximum of 750.
He revealed that currently, FCT has a total of 562 Polling Units 1,951 Voting Points and 309 Voting Points Settlements.
Zainab Sa’id
