The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says Gombe will get additional 770 polling units to the existing 2,218, following the expansion of voter access to the polling units.

Umar Ibrahim, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, disclosed this during the stakeholders’ meeting on expanding voter access to polling units on Thursday in Gombe.

Mr Ibrahim said the increment would bring the total of polling units in the state to 2,988.

He noted that it was timely following the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) planned rollout in June.

According to him, INEC has been using the polling unit structure created in 1996, hence the need to expand.

He stated that field officers have gone round the local government areas, visited every new proposed location, and captured the required information using GPRS.

Mr Ibrahim said each polling unit would accommodate 500 to 700 voters, adding that INEC will prioritise new settlements.

“The commission adheres strictly to the provision of the guidelines given to them by the headquarters to improve service delivery,” he said.

The INEC commissioner explained that some of the challenges witnessed in polling units during the exercise include growth in voter population and congestion at polling units which affected the health and safety of people.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Ishola Babaita, urged the general public to behave orderly when the CVR begins.

(NAN)