By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
To ensure a hitch-free deployment of electoral materials and other logistics on election day, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has urged the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) that both their vehicles and personnel will be secured while discharging election duty.
This is even as he said the time has come to stop all excuses and provide effective logistics to ensure hitch-free logistics on Election Day hence the Commission summoned the union member to put finishing touches to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Commission and the Union about two months ago.
Yakubu who spoke at a Consultative Meeting between INEC and NURTW held at Blue Spring Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday, said the meeting has become necessary because the Commission will not accept any kind of lapses in the 2023 general election.
Said he: “I would like to thank the President and leadership of the National Union of Transport Workers (NURTW) for the kind invitation to this sensitisation meeting of your national executive council which brings together all the national officers, zonal officers, State Chairmen and other senior officials of the Union.
“I am glad to note that this meeting seeks to achieve two objectives. First is to put finishing touches to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Commission and the Union about two months ago on 20th December 2022.
“Secondly, to conclude on the modalities for the certification of vehicles by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the light of the emphasis we place on the safety of election personnel and materials”.
Speaking further Yakubu reiterated that the issue of logistics has been a perennial problem in election administration in Nigeria, pointing out that that is why for three electoral cycles now, INEC has collaborated with the road transport unions to address the problem. For the 2023 General Election, the Commission has included the Marine Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) for efficient maritime transportation.
He however said: “The time has come to stop all excuses and provide effective logistics to ensure hitch-free logistics on Election Day.
Nigerians should not wait for the arrival of personnel and materials at the polling units. Rather, we should be there waiting for the arrival of voters. We believe that this is achievable.
“Recent elections have shown that working in partnership with the unions and other stakeholders, we can achieve the objective. This is a patriotic duty and we should make the necessary sacrifice in the national interest. The Commission is aware that this is an enormous task.
The INEC boss also said: “Election is the largest deployment a nation periodically undertakes and mobilisation of vehicles for election is a large and complex exercise. However, this comes only once in four years.
“What is critical here is forward planning. We have presented to the Union the number and specifications of the vehicles required for the election. We have also indicated to you the locations where the vehicles are needed”.
“Happily, your members are spread across the country. Therefore, vehicles conveying personnel and materials will not travel long distances. In fact, all movements should be within a State and preferably within Local Government Areas. There should be no inter-State movement. I should also remind you that our MoU covers both forward and reverse logistics.
“This means that there is an obligation to return the personnel and materials to designated locations after the election”.
Meanwhile, Yakubu assured NURTW that: “We are working with the security agencies to ensure the safety of your members and their vehicles during the election. Just like our election duty personnel, their safety is paramount. That is why in the most recent elections conducted by the Commission, the leadership of your Union at State level attended several meetings with our officials and the security agencies. We also ensured that your Union was represented in our Situation Room to coordinate the deployment of vehicles and the security of drivers.
We will ensure that a similar arrangement is made nationwide for the general election”.
