The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the logistics contract for the distribution of election materials is with drivers and not transport unions.
Speaking on Thursday in an interview on Channels Television, Festus Okoye, INEC spokesperson, said the commission only signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with transport unions.
Over the past days, there has been controversy over the decision of INEC to work with the Lagos state parks management committee for the distribution of election materials.
The Lagos state parks management is headed by Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, had set up the parks committee after banning the operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
INEC’s decision has been greeted with criticism with concerns raised over if the arrangement will affect the credibility of the polls since MC Oluomo is a supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Thursday, The INEC spokesperson said the commission will not allow itself to be blackmailed, adding that this is not the first time the commission will hire vehicles for distribution of election materials.
“Courage and competence reside in this commission. This commission will not succumb to the blackmail and antics of those who do not wish the electoral process well,” he said.
“For the 2023 election, this commission is going to hire at least 138,000 vehicles and we have hired vehicles in the past. We are going to hire at least 4,000 boats; we have hired boats in the past. The commission is going to hire 88,000 motorcycles.
“The commission enters individual contracts with the vehicle owners; we don’t enter any form of contract with the unions.
“What we have with NURTW, NARTO and marine unions is what we called a memorandum of understanding (MoU). We don’t enter into contracts with them.
“The issue of the name of an individual being mentioned to the effect that the individual is going to provide all the vehicles the commission needs for the purpose of this election is just mischievous.
“We have contracts with individual drivers. What the unions do for us is that we enter into MoU with them. Sometimes in a situation where the individual drivers abscond, they help us locate the drivers.
“In a situation where the driver does not turn up on time, they know their members and help us find out why the individual has not turned up on time.
“It is true that in some states, the NURTW has been banned but they don’t convey materials for us. It is the individual drivers that convey materials for us.
“I want to assure the nation that we don’t have contracts with NURTW, NARTO, and marine unions. Our contract is with the individual drivers who own these vehicles and provide the vehicles on election day.”
