2023: Be blind to political affiliations, INEC tells NURTW members

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has again cautioned members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) who would be participating in the movement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials during the general elections to avoid partisanship.

The INEC Chairman restated his admonition on Tuesday at a meeting with National, Zonal and State Chairmen of the union in Abuja.

While he said the drivers to be involved in logistics would sign oath of neutrality, he said they must demonstrate their neutrality on the election days.

Professor Yakubu also told the leadership of the NURTW led by their President, Comrade

Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, that it was mandatory for the union to provide effective logistics during the election, as his Commission would not entertain any excuse having assured Nigerians that it was determined to meet up with their expectations.

He 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. 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 Memorandum of Understanding (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.”

Professor Bolade Eyila, Chief Technical Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu, also told the union that it was mandatory for drivers to be deployed for the election, adding that they would ensure certification of their vehicles ahead of the election.

“If your vehicle is not satisfied, we will not engage you for election and if your vehicle is not having our sticker, you will not be allowed to move on election day. We will also take documentation of the vehicles and the drivers.”

President of the NURTW, Comrade Baruwa, assured the INEC Chairman that his union would not disappoint Nigerians in the discharge of the sensitive assignment.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE