The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will relocate 357 Polling Units (PUs) to safer areas due to security challenges in Katsina State.

According to the commission, the decision is to ensure that all Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the state are allowed to cast their votes during the 2023 elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Professor Ibrahim Yahaya-Makarfi, made this known during a stakeholders forum on Friday in Katsina.

He explained that the Electoral Act 2022 has made clear and explicit provisions for the conduct of elections in emergency situations.

“In specific terms, section 24 of the electoral act 2022 provides for the commission for as far as practicable to ensure that no persons displaced as a result of an emergency is disenfranchised.

“We will therefore, ensure that as far as is practicable, we would provide every eligible voter with the opportunity to exercise his franchise as provided by the law.

“We have been working closely with stakeholders and security agencies in constant evaluation of the situations in areas facing security challenges for strategic approach.

“We will ensure successful conduct of a free, fair, credible poll free from intimidation or molestation,” he said.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians who have registered but did not collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to do so, stressing that  “No PVC no election”.

He said that the commission has created a timeline for the collection of the PVCs throughout the 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Also in his presentation on the preparations, the commission’s Head of Operations, Hussain Jafar, explained that out of the 34 LGAs in the state, 12 had been identified with security challenges.

“And out of the 361 Registration Areas (RAs), there are 73 with security challenges, and finally, out of the 6,652 PUs, there are 357 with security challenges.

“All the necessary procedures for the relocation of the affected PUs have been provided and the commission has received some of the non-sensitive electoral materials,” he said. 

(NAN)