*Photo: INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu (left) and the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kyari, when the former and National Commissoners visited the latter at the NNPCL headquarters in Abuja*
Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday paid a visit to the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kyari.
The purpose of the visit, according to Prof Yakubu was to seek ways of guaranting adequate supply of petroleum products during the impending general elections.
The INEC Chairman told the NNPCL Chief Executive Officer, that transport unions have been met with by the Commission in other to overcome the perennial challenge of late commencement of polls on grounds of logistics.
He however said this objective “cannot be fully accomplished without the guaranteed supply of petroleum products to facilitate the movement of vehicles and boats. Hence, in our effort to mobilise every national institution to give Nigerians a pleasant experience on Election Day, the Commission believes that the NNPC, as our national oil company, is one of the critical institutions that can facilitate the attainment of our objective.”
Read Prof Yakubu’s full remarks below:
REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROF. MAHMOOD YAKUBU, AT A MEETING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED (NNPCL) HELD AT THE NNPC TOWERS, ABUJA, ON TUESDAY 31ST JANUARY 2023
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari
Executive Vice Presidents
Management Staff and Other Senior Officials
National Commissioners of INEC
The Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. Let me first of all express my profound gratitude to the NNPC Limited for the audience. Only last week, we proposed this meeting and without hesitation the GCEO obliged us. This is an affirmation of the openness of the national oil company and its commitment to the national interest.
2. As you are aware, Nigerians will go to the polls in a little over three weeks in what will be our 7th consecutive General Election since the restoration of democracy in 1999. 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.
3. 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.
4. Earlier this morning, we had a meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). We 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. We are determined to overcome the perennial challenge of late commencement of polls on grounds of logistics.
5. However, this objective cannot be fully accomplished without the guaranteed supply of petroleum products to facilitate the movement of vehicles and boats. Hence, in our effort to mobilise every national institution to give Nigerians a pleasant experience on Election Day, the Commission believes that the NNPC, as our 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.
6. Once again, I thank you for the audience and your support in the national interest.
7. I thank you and God bless.