-UP reacts to NEC’s decision against calling out of voters’ names 


By Jerromie S. Walters

The opposition Unity Party says it is troubled by the Press Statement from the National Elections Commission (NEC), calling on its polling staff to reject and discontinue a process whereby a voter entering the polling room will state his/her name to the Commission’s Voter identification Officer (VIO).

As the conduct of the presidential runoff election continues, the National Elections Commission (NEC), few hours ago called on all poling staff involved in calling out voters’ names to desist with immediate effect.

In a recent press statement, UP says it sees NEC’s decision as an affront and a total disrespect to Sections 5,4 and 5.6 of the new elections law, which requires that voter entering a polling place should state his/her name to the Voter ldentification Officer (VIO). NEC, in a meeting with UP and CDC promised to enforce this law.

“We strongly believe with 3 feet distance, Party agents will have the opportunity to hear the name of a voter and verify whether they are fully listed on the FRR. The FRR was issued to all political Parties by NEC for the purpose of verifying whether a voter is fully captured and listed in the FRR..”

The statement continues- “In a communication to NEC, dated October 24, 2023, the UP informed NEC that it

would issue out hard copies of the FRR to poll watchers to validate the authenticity of a voter entering the polling room. The decision by NEC to abruptly discontinue the voter verification process by our polling agents raises serious eyebrows and seems to validate widespread speculation that there is plan by certain elements in NEC to conspire.”

“The Unity Party therefore rejects this action and calls on the Commission to ensure that the law is enforced as promised by NEC.

The UP considers the release by NEC in the middle of polling as an attempt to disrupt and undermine the credibility and integrity of the runoff election.”

With this, the Unity Party has called on all Party agents to insist on the implementation of the law.