By Gbenga Ariyibi

Ado Ekiti — GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, yesterday, justified growing public outcry on the creation of additional 30,000 polling units in the country because of electoral fraud that had characterised elections since  1999.

The governor however defended the creation of additional   polling units from 2, 195 to over 2,800 during the June 21 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, saying it was based on the request of the state government.

The additional polling units in Ekiti, according to him, would allow the citizens perform their civic responsibilities.
The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti while taking possession of his 64-page e-passport alongside his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi at Nigeria Immigration Service headquarters.

Fayemi said: “INEC is in the eyes of the storm. INEC must not just be fair, it must be seen to be fair because it has a duty to communicate what it has been doing to ordinary Nigerians, in a very clear, concise and a way  that cannot be controverted. At first glance, if you hear that about 30,000 units, over 20,000 upward will go up north and 8,000 upward will go down south, you will feel: what is going on, let’s try and get a sense of what is going on here.

“INEC has a duty to demonstrate to Nigerians that this is not meant to give advantage to any region or any political party or to any individual.”