Sen. Ita Enang, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, said on Thursday that the suspension of additional polling units would boost public confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Enang lauded INEC for the decision, adding that the commission was responsive to people’s misgivings about the planned exercise.
“I want to congratulate INEC for suspending the creation of additional polling units as it was creating a lot of suspicion.
“ I pray that INEC will, whenever people complain as in this matter, take a look at it and reason along with the people because election is about creating people’s confidence.
“ It is not just the result of the election that gives credibility, it is the process of election and the people whom you are going to conduct the election for to have confidence in the process.’’
On the distribution of permanent voter cards (PVCs), the Senator said in spite of the challenges facing the exercise, the commission had made tremendous progress in ensuring transparency in the electoral process.
“ INEC has extended it one day in those states and when it finishes, it does not end.
“You now have to go to the local governments where you registered to collect your permanent voter card. So it doesn’t mean that anybody will be disenfranchised.
“ We want Nigerians to have patience. It happened first in Akwa Ibom, till today people are still going to my local government to collect their permanent voter card.
“ So people should not think that immediately after those specified days the exercise is closed.’’
NAN recalls that INEC on Nov. 11 suspended its planned creation of 30,000 polling units until after the 2015 general elections.
On the alleged theft of permanent voter cards in Edo State, Enang said that the missing PVCs would not in any way jeopardise the electoral process as the biometric features were customised.
