MU LEKA HUKUMAR ZAƁE
Let Us Examine the Electoral Commission
ISSUE 4 — MONDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2026
By Alfijir Labarai
INTRODUCTION
In Issue 2, we examined the voters’ register and the importance of having an accurate and reliable register.
In Issue 3, we examined voter revalidation and what INEC has said about efforts to maintain the integrity of the voters’ register.
In this Issue 4, we turn to something that directly concerns every voter: the POLLING UNIT.
Because after registering to vote, there is another important question:
WHERE WILL YOU CAST YOUR BALLOT?
WHAT IS A POLLING UNIT?
According to INEC, a Polling Unit is the smallest electoral unit designated by the Commission where registered voters assigned to that location assemble to be accredited and cast their ballots on election day.
INEC currently states that Nigeria has 176,846 Polling Units across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Commission has also provided an official Polling Unit Locator to enable voters to identify the Polling Unit assigned to them.
HOW DID NIGERIA GET 176,846 POLLING UNITS?
The figure has a history that voters should understand.
INEC has explained that it had operated with about 120,000 Polling Units for many years.
In 2022, the Commission implemented the Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units exercise to improve access to polling locations and reduce congestion.
According to INEC, 56,872 additional Polling Units were created, bringing the total to 176,846.
The Commission also stated that in 2022, about 6.7 million voters were redistributed from around 12,000 congested Polling Units to about 17,000 other locations.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE VOTER?
If voters were redistributed to new Polling Units, simply being registered to vote is not enough.
A voter should know:
Their Polling Unit.
Their Polling Unit number.
Where the Polling Unit is located.
And how to get there.
Therefore, the question is not only:
“Are you registered to vote?”
There is another important question:
“Do you know where you will use that registration on election day?”
INEC HAS PROVIDED A WAY TO CHECK
INEC has provided an official Polling Unit Locator that allows voters to check their assigned Polling Unit before election day.
The Commission has also warned that directions provided by the system may only be approximate.
For this reason, INEC advises voters to visit the location before election day to confirm the exact location of their Polling Unit.
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
Under the Electoral Act 2026, INEC is responsible for establishing an adequate number of Polling Units within Registration Areas/Electoral Wards and assigning voters to those Polling Units.
This means that the fact that another Polling Unit may be closer to a voter’s home does not automatically mean that the voter can choose to vote there.
What matters is the Polling Unit to which INEC has assigned the voter.
WHAT INEC HAS SAID
The official information from INEC shows that:
Nigeria has 176,846 Polling Units.
The number of Polling Units was increased to expand voter access and reduce congestion.
About 6.7 million voters were redistributed to other locations in 2022.
INEC has an official Polling Unit Locator through which voters can check their assigned locations.
The Commission also advises voters to confirm their Polling Unit location before election day.
MU LEKA KANO
In Kano, as in other parts of Nigeria, knowing one’s Polling Unit is an important part of preparing for the 2027 General Election.
Alfijir Labarai will continue to follow official INEC information concerning voters in Kano, particularly any new information affecting Polling Units and the electoral process.
ARE YOU SATISFIED?
INEC says Polling Units were increased to reduce congestion, millions of voters were redistributed in 2022, and an official system has been provided for voters to check their assigned Polling Units.
But we leave the reader with one important question:
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO VOTE?
And after considering INEC’s explanation:
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION?
WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
Mu Leka Hukumar Zaɓe will not declare that there is a problem without evidence.
We will not decide on behalf of the public whether the system is working well or not.
We will present what INEC has officially stated.
We will examine what the law provides.
Then we will allow the public to ask questions, investigate and share their experiences.
Because our responsibility is:
We Investigate.
We Ask Questions.
We Explain What the Electoral Law Says.
THE BIG QUESTION FOR ISSUE 4
POLLING UNIT:
DOES THE VOTER KNOW WHERE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT BEFORE 2027?
And after INEC’s explanation:
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION?
CONCLUSION
Registration is the first step into the electoral process.
But knowing where to cast your ballot is also one of the important things every voter should confirm before election day.
INEC says Nigeria has 176,846 Polling Units and has provided a system through which voters can check the locations assigned to them.
Our responsibility is to bring this information to the public.
And the responsibility of every voter is to ask:
DO I KNOW WHERE I WILL CAST MY BALLOT?
If the answer is “No”, then it is time to check.
MU LEKA HUKUMAR ZAƁE
We Investigate. We Ask Questions. We Explain What the Electoral Law Says.
By Alfijir Labarai
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