The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on Wednesday, commended the FCT State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of free and fair elections in the nation’s capital city.
He gave this commendation during the stakeholders meeting on the expansion of voter access and conversion of existing voting points and settlements for easy access for prospective voters in Abuja.
Malam Bello, who was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, said the FCT INEC has truly demonstrated the role of an unbiased umpire in the conduct of elections in the territory.
According to a statement by the Press Secretary to the Permanent Secretary, Tony Odey, and made available to newsmen, the minister further praised FCT INEC for taking the bold step to expand voter access as well as converting existing voting points and settlements for easy access for prospective voters.
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He then assured stakeholders that the new development would encourage a large turnout of voters during the forthcoming election in the territory.
The minister, therefore, charged the six Area Councils Chairmen to go back to the grassroots and sensitise their people on the new development, said all hands must be on deck in order to achieve this laudable feat.
Earlier, the FCT INEC Resident Electoral Commission, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, explained that the new move of conversion of voting points and voting settlements into full fledge Polling Units is in line with the provision of section 42 of the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended.
According to him, the objective of the new initiative is to site Polling Units in places that are more accessible for voters, with a view to decongesting Polling Units to a lower threshold of a minimum of five hundred persons and a maximum of 750.
He revealed that currently, FCT has a total of 562 Polling Units 1,951 Voting Points and 309 Voting Points Settlements.
Elections: FCT minister commends INEC for free, fair conduct in Abuja