3 months after Anambra poll: INEC expresses disappointment with vehicles provided by NURTW, NARTO

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Monday that it is grossly disappointed with the vehicles provided by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to transport sensitive materials during the November 2025 Anambra State governorship election.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) expressed the disappointment at a meeting with transport unions, in preparation for this week’s Saturday’s Area Council elections in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Amupitan said the commission noticed some challenges in relation to transport logistics provided by the unions during elections.

According to him, the vehicles provided by the transport unions during the Anambra governorship election “was almost a disaster…because we were almost disappointed with vehicles that were brought by the unions to transport sensitive materials from Enugu to Awka.”

Prof. Amupitan said INEC was also not happy even with the logistics at Awka and at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), adding that some of the vehicles used were out of order.

He stated that even when he met with the leadership of the two unions, and after giving him their words, “at the end of the election, what I got was not in line with the MoU (memorandum of understanding)that was signed.”

This, he said, made the commission to promise “to reimburse in some cases the auctioneer, which was having to rely on some vehicles that were brought from other states to be able to bring them.”

Amupitan revealed that INEC is considering hiring about 1,132 vehicles from the two unions.

According to him, “An election for us is successful if we are able to mobilise materials, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials, to the polling units, because the polling units are the pyramids. They are the foundation of votes”.

He expressed the firm hope that the MoU INEC signed with the transport unions would be a dependable one, which is to provide “very sound and serviceable guidance in line with the specifications that have been given and, early deployments.”

Prof. Amupitan requested that the unions should deploy the vehicles to the Registration Area Council (RAC) on Friday to facilitate early movements from the racks to the pooling units.

He told the union leaders that the commission does not want any excuses or errors or mistakes that are not deliberate, “because, we don’t want non-deliberate excuses or errors, thoughtless or deliberate errors, because, some people will deliberately make mistakes and apologize. We don’t want that.”

According to Prof. Amupitan, if poll is going to commence at 8 o’clock, election materials must be delivered between 7 to 7.30.

“And, if they have to be there by 7 to 7.30 (am), it means that they have to leave Rack by 6 o’clock, or, at most, 6.30 (am), depending on the location.”, he stressed.

Chairman of the NURTW in the FCT, Abdullahi Dauda, disclosed that the union has discussed its challenges with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), and how to overcome them.

“If they give us what we want, they will see what we are going to give them, that is the answer,” he Dauda.

The Chairman assured to improve of their services, adding, “I cannot say 100%, because it is only God, Almighty Allah, that is 100%.”

Continuing, he said, “But I’m going to sit down and make sure all the people that are sent to work, they will be there.

“The ILO officer will count the vehicles that are going to supply in every ward, and where we are going to send every vehicle that will take their staff to.

“And with the plan we have on ground, I am definitely sure the FCT election is going to be different”, he stressed.