Niger guber: Election officials resort to personal vehicles for transport

Due to inadequate transportation, polling officials and security personnel in Niger resorted to using their vehicles to move voting materials to polling units. This challenge delayed the movement of electoral materials, ad hoc staff, and security personnel to the 42 polling units in the Bosso LGA. Stanley Ibeh, a Supervising Presiding Officer, said that the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials started at 5:30 a.m.; there were only two vehicles for conveying officials, materials, and security personnel to the 42 polling units. He said the only challenge was distributing materials, except the inadequate vehicles to move officials and materials. Some security operatives moved to their duty posts in their personal vehicles.

Mansir Sirajo, a Presiding Officer, called a motorcyclist to move materials, ad hoc staff, and security personnel to the Ndipai polling unit. The situation shows the logistics challenges faced by Nigeria’s electoral umpire in conducting credible elections. The inadequacy of transportation for moving election materials and officials to polling units is a recurrent challenge, making it difficult to achieve smooth and seamless elections.

Nigeria’s political parties and the electorate also have a role in ensuring free and fair elections. They must support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by providing logistical support, including vehicles, to transport election materials and officials. The political parties must also desist from disrupting the electoral process by causing violence, snatching ballot boxes, and other malpractices.

Nigerians look forward to a credible electoral process reflecting the valid people’s valid will. The conduct of smooth and peaceful elections will strengthen the country’s democratic institutions, foster national unity, and promote socio-economic development. Therefore, all stakeholders must support the INEC to overcome the challenges of logistics and other issues and deliver credible and acceptable elections. It is also essential that security operatives are deployed to protect voters, election officials, and election materials.

The electoral process in Nigeria needs to be improved to prevent logistical challenges and enhance credibility. The country needs to invest in technology and digital infrastructure that can ease the logistics of conducting elections. Promoting voter education and sensitization is also crucial to ensure that voters understand the electoral process and their rights and responsibilities. This will reduce the incidences of electoral malpractices and ensure that the electoral process is transparent and credible.