The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday met with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to seek ways to guarantee adequate supply of petroleum products for the Commission’s and hired vehicles and boats to be deployed throughout the country for the 2023 General Election
In his remarks, the INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu said the Commission is determined to overcome the perennial challenge of late commencement of polls on grounds of logistics, however, "this objective cannot be fully accomplished without the guaranteed supply of petroleum products to facilitate the movement of vehicles and boats".
Prof Yakubu said INEC effort to mobilise every national institution to give Nigerians a pleasant experience on Election Day, the Commission believes that the NNPC, as National oil company, is one of the critical institutions that can facilitate the attainment of our objective.
"We are aware of the efforts of the NNPC to ease the current situation in earnest. At the same time, we would like to appeal to you to consider the following proposals:
i. The use of the NNPC land and floating mega stations nationwide to service our election duty vehicles and boats. We will bear the cost of the products. By doing so, there will be guaranteed supply for elections;
ii. A special arrangement with other marketers in locations where the NNPC may not have dedicated stations; and
iii. Consider other options to support our seamless operations on Election Day.
Responding, Mele Kyari, CEO Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) said "We know that logistic is a major component of electoral duties. NNPC has always supported the INEC, not in this direct form, in making sure that fuel is made available to all vehicles that are involved in the electoral process.
"Needless to say that there was no formal framework for that, and there were no even exact formal requests for this. All the same, we are always conscious of the necessity to provide support to INEC whenever elections take place.
"In today's very different, Mr chairman it not just an honor to an NNPC. It's also a challenge to us, to come into the equation in making sure that we have a stable political system in our country and we'll be happy to contribute to this. Much as even you are going to pay for the product that we're going to deliver to you.
"Having said this chairman, we're the largest downstream company in the country today. Six months ago, it was not so but today we have acquired huge assets since our incorporation into limited liability company ans we have spread across the country. That is not to say that we're in every city and every town, it is possible that there may be some locations where we may not be present.
"We'll work with your logistic team to identify those areas where we may not have presence so that we can bring in other marketing companies into the conversation so that the products are made available to all the 100,000 vehicles that you have indicated.
"There will be no difficulty doing this Mr Chairman, we have present we are everywhere. But where we are not, we will provide commercial conversation between the commission and other marketing companies so that when you need this product, you will have it.
Also in addition to this Mr chairman, we're the only company that has floating mega stations in the country. We will also look at this and see how we can make it available for the purpose of the Marine Operations in the revirine areas of our country", he said.
He assured that extreme measures will be taken to see that we can contain the current distribution challenges that we have and will believe that within the next one week there will be significant relief if not elimination of the current situation that we're facing.
In respect of that we'll make arrangements to make sure their products are made available to your vehicles during the election period or as a buildup to the election. Our team will engage so that they sort out what best mechanism to be in need so and to take it up from there.
SpyeTV News earlier reported that INEC officials met with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to sign MoU, and they are working with them as well as the Marine Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to mobilise the vehicles and boats needed for the massive land and riverine movement of men and materials for the election.
According to INEC Chairman, the election will hold in two phases. The national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) will hold on Saturday 25th February 2023 to be followed two weeks later by State elections (Governorship and States Houses of Assembly) on Saturday 11th March 2023.
He said, Nigerian election is huge and complex. Election is the biggest logistical operation that Nigeria undertakes every four years. 93,469,008 registered voters are expected to elect a President, 28 State Governors and 1,462 legislators (109 Senators, 360 members of House of Representatives and 993 members of State Houses of Assembly). The Commission is mobilising about 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats for the deployment of personnel and materials to 176,846 polling units spread across 8,809 Registration Areas (or electoral Wards) in 774 Local Government Areas nationwide.