2023: INEC Reacts To Reports Of Contract Material Logistics With NURTW, Others

Debunking the reports during an interview on Channels Television's programme, the 2023 verdict programme on Thursady, the INEC National Commissioner and chairman of information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said that no National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW in Lagos State, and other transport unions have been contracted for such reason.

"So, the issue of the name of an individual being mentioned to the effect that the individual is going to provide all the vehicle that the commission needs or for the purposes of this election is just mischievous,ÔÇØ he said.

He further stated, "For the 2023 election, this Commission is going to hire at least 138,000 vehicles and we have hired vehicles in the past. This Commission is going to hire at least 4,000 boats; we have hired boats in the past, and this Commission will hire at least 88,000 motorcycles.

"Now the Commission enters into individual contracts with the vehicle owners; we don't enter into any form of contract with the union. What we have with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and with the National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Marine Union is what we call a Memorandum of Understanding.

"We don't enter into a contract with them. So, the issue of the name of an individual being mentioned to the effect that the individual is going to provide all the vehicle that the commission needs or for the purposes of this election is just mischievous.ÔÇØ

Okoye said INEC's MoU with the transport unions is for accountability in case a driver absconds or does not turn up for duty.

He noted that the commission deals with each state according to their peculiarity, adding that the Supervising National Commissioner in Lagos State has assured of a hitch-free arrangement.

Speaking on the mock accreditation exercise recently conducted in the 436 polling units, The INEC National Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

According to him, the BVAS can capture the fingerprints of registered voters or their facials, adding that Nigerians, who participated in the exercise expressed satisfaction with it and commended the Commission for the advancement.