How to locate your polling unit and all you need to prepare for Saturday’s elections

With Nigeria’s general election barely hours away now, it is extremely important to avoid the consequences of last-minute or no preparation at all. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has put out a body of information to arm citizens with the knowledge of preparation to be made, to ease the entire process.

As such, we have put up some tips to make your election experience less stressful and worth the while. 

How to locate your polling unit

Due to the introduction of the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), voters will not be allowed to vote in any polling unit that is not their designated voting point. Since the last election, there has been a creation of new polling units and a redistribution of some old voters to new polling unit.

This means your old polling unit, where you voted in 2019 or 2015 or earlier, may not be your voting point for the 2023 elections.

It is therefore important to verify your polling unit before the day of the election.

This is how to:

Verify via SMS: This can be carried out via, texting the name of your state, last name and the last six digits of your Voter Identification Number(VIN) to 09062830860 or 09062830861 to get your polling unit name.

Verify on INEC website: Simply click here or go to www.voters.inecnigeria.org or www.cvr.inecnigeria.org/vvs and fill in the required sections with your details to get your polling unit name. 

Facts about the 2023 general elections

• The elections are the only lawfully recognised way of transitioning from one government to another in Nigeria
• Elections are carried out via a physical voting system amongst citizens of Nigeria in Nigeria
• Only persons above eighteen are eligible to vote 
• The body in charge of elections in Nigeria is INEC
• You cannot vote without a permanent voters card (PVC).
• You cannot vote twice in a single election
• Voting can only be done at the delegated polling unit of a voter
• The elections would be carried out using a Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System(BVAS).
• Voting accreditation begins by 8 am on Saturday