By Isaac Mission
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is strengthening its grassroots network ahead of the 2027 general elections by establishing a 13-member executive team in every polling unit across Nigeria.
Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central in the National Assembly, disclosed this during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday.
According to Umeh, the structure is intended to give the party a permanent presence at polling units and make it easier to deploy accredited agents during elections.
He explained that the 13-member polling-unit executive structure is provided for in the party's constitution and is currently being expanded nationwide.
Umeh said the party's preparations go beyond its internal executives, noting that the NDC is also working to ensure that it has polling agents in every polling unit on election day.
He attributed the party's growing grassroots presence to the increasing number of people joining the NDC to contest various elective positions.
The senator argued that candidates contesting elections on the party's platform would naturally help strengthen its presence at the grassroots because they would be responsible for mobilising agents and supporters within their constituencies.
He said the NDC had presented candidates for all the positions being contested in the 2027 general elections, describing this as an important factor in ensuring that the party would not be absent from any polling unit.
Umeh also disclosed that, in addition to the 13-member structure established by the party, he was personally putting together a 20-member coordinator team in every polling unit as part of his campaign preparations.
He said the additional structure was designed to eliminate last-minute difficulties in finding individuals to represent the party at polling stations.
The lawmaker further explained that the party was preparing early for the management and documentation of election results.
He recalled his involvement in the process that led to amendments to the Electoral Act, particularly the debate surrounding electronic transmission of election results.
According to him, the changes in the electoral process have made it necessary for political parties to have representatives at polling units who can obtain and preserve official result sheets.
Umeh said the NDC intends to ensure that its agents obtain copies of the EC8A result forms from polling units and secure versions signed by the relevant presiding officers.
He maintained that the party's preparations were aimed at ensuring that every polling unit would have an NDC representative when Nigerians go to the polls in 2027.
The senator expressed confidence that the party's early grassroots mobilisation would prevent situations where polling units are left without NDC agents on election day.
