Sensitization Meeting on the Implementation of the INEC/NURTW/NARTO/MWUN MOU on the 2023 General Election and other Elections

FES Nigeria partnered with NURTW to organize a meeting on the new MOU between INEC and NURTW/NARTO/MWUN on 31st January 2023. As a result, the President of the NURTW, the national secretary of the union, the state chairman of the union, other senior officials, the representative of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the resident representative of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the media, and the Chairman and National Commissioners of INEC attended the one-day sensitization meeting. The meeting brought together the union’s National Executive Council members, the National Officers, Zonal Officers, State Chairpersons, and other senior officials. The conference set out to achieve two objectives; first, to put the finishing touches to implementing the memorandum of understanding signed between the Commission and the unions about two months ago, on 20^th December 2022. Secondly, to conclude on the modalities for the certification of vehicles by the Federal Road Safety Corps, in the light of emphasis placed on the safety of election personnel and materials.

The logistics issue has been a perennial problem in Nigeria’s election administration; for three electoral cycles, INEC has collaborated with the Road Transport Unions to address the problem. For the 2023 general election, the Commission has included the Marine Workers Union of Nigeria for efficient Maritime transportation. From the Commission’s perspective, Nigerians should not wait for the arrival of personnel and materials at the polling units on election day; rather, the Commission should be there waiting for the voters to arrive.

The resident representative of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the Federal Road Safety Corps representative, the Chairman of INEC, and the President of the NURTW addressed the union members and officials. The INEC chairman stated the importance of corporation between the Commission and the union to deliver a successful 2023 election and achieve the objectives. The President of the NURTW expressed his appreciation to Friedrich Ebert Stiftung for supporting the process through the years and stated that this MOU was the third MOU in the series. He also informed participants that the MOU provides a general framework for their (NURTW, NARTO, and MWUN ) cooperation and strengthens it to deliver a successful MOU.