As the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol bites harder, qwith Nigerians thrown into hardship and endless wait on long queues in petroleum filling stations countrywide, , the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised an alarm that its logistics for the forthcoming general elections may be affected by the continued low availabitity of petrol.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, while speaking on Tuesday at a consultative meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), noted that the issue of logistics has been constituted a perennial problem in the aministration of election in the country.
He stated that it was because of this challenge that election umpire body was in alliance with the NURTW and the Marine Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to ensure seamless arrangements on election day.
“The commission is aware that this is an enormous task. 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.
“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”, added Yakubu.
