As Osun State goes to the poll tomorrow to elect a governor, the
Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof.
Attahiru Jega, has promised that the exercise would be better than Ekiti
State poll. He said Card Readers would be used in next year’s general
elections to ensure that there is no impersonation of voters.Speaking
yesterday in Lagos while delivering a keynote address at the Annual
General Meeting (AGM) of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of
Nigeria (NPAN), the INEC boss said the commission will conduct a
credible election tomorrow.
While making a case for the establishment of an Election Offences
Tribunal, Jega, who said that 200 suspects had been prosecuted for
electoral offences since he assumed office, insisted that the tribunal
would ensure speedy trial of suspects.
On the deployment of high number of security agents for election duties, Jega said it was necessary to protect INEC officials and materials as well as secure voters.
He said there was no evidence that deployment of soldiers and other security agencies was a disincentive for voters, pointing out that if anything, it boosts the confidence of the electorate to come out and vote.
The INEC boss noted that the Ekiti State governorship election recorded a turnout of 49 per cent of registered voters, the highest so far recorded in the current democratic dispensation, an indication that the presence of security agents did not discourage voters.
His words: “Please, I want people to understand this. The use of military and police is not necessarily a disincentive for participation in election. In fact, in the Ekiti election that people were complaining of having the highest level of military, the turnout was 49 per cent, which is the highest we have had for governorship election. The presence of security officials gives people the courage to vote.
“We are following a system that no armed policeman should go to a polling unit, but we need mobile policemen to patrol. People move money and thugs on election day; we need to stop them. In Ekiti, places were identified where thugs imported from neighbouring, states were camped. It was these security people that prevented them from coming out on election day. As I speak with you, a similar thing is happening in Osun State.
On preparations for 2015, Jega said INEC would make use of Card Readers to ensure there were no cases of impersonation during the election.
“In 2015, we want to use technology further, to ensure that the cards that are read in the polling units on election day. I guess this will give us 100 per cent verification, so that we can be 100 per cent sure that the people who brought the cards are the owners. Card Readers will help us tremendously,” he stated.
While commending the NPAN for promoting the common good, Jega said one of the issues confronting the country was the challenge of good democratic governance. He said for a long time, Nigeria suffered from long authoritarian rule, so much so that 15 years after return to democratic rule, the legacy of authoritarian rule is still there. The INEC boss urged the NPAN to partner the commission in promoting voter education.
Earlier in a welcome address, the NPAN President and Publisher of Thisday, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, called for the withdrawal of all cases against journalists. He said the state of the media in the last two years was challenging, but eventful, noting that one of the achievements was the signing of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. Obaigbena said the challenge of the future was to ensure that FoI is given a life.
Some of those who attended the meeting were Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Publisher of The Sun and New Telegraph; Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard and Comfort Obi, Publisher of The Source magazine.
Others were Lady Maiden Ibru, Chief Executive Officer of The Guardian; Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, Managing Director, Champion; Mr. Ray Ekpu; Mallam Ismaila Isa, Mr. Femi Adesina, Managing Director, The Sun; Kabiru Yusuf; Chief Segun Osoba and Mr. Eluem Emeka Izeze, Managing Director, The Guardian, among others.
On the deployment of high number of security agents for election duties, Jega said it was necessary to protect INEC officials and materials as well as secure voters.
He said there was no evidence that deployment of soldiers and other security agencies was a disincentive for voters, pointing out that if anything, it boosts the confidence of the electorate to come out and vote.
The INEC boss noted that the Ekiti State governorship election recorded a turnout of 49 per cent of registered voters, the highest so far recorded in the current democratic dispensation, an indication that the presence of security agents did not discourage voters.
His words: “Please, I want people to understand this. The use of military and police is not necessarily a disincentive for participation in election. In fact, in the Ekiti election that people were complaining of having the highest level of military, the turnout was 49 per cent, which is the highest we have had for governorship election. The presence of security officials gives people the courage to vote.
“We are following a system that no armed policeman should go to a polling unit, but we need mobile policemen to patrol. People move money and thugs on election day; we need to stop them. In Ekiti, places were identified where thugs imported from neighbouring, states were camped. It was these security people that prevented them from coming out on election day. As I speak with you, a similar thing is happening in Osun State.
On preparations for 2015, Jega said INEC would make use of Card Readers to ensure there were no cases of impersonation during the election.
“In 2015, we want to use technology further, to ensure that the cards that are read in the polling units on election day. I guess this will give us 100 per cent verification, so that we can be 100 per cent sure that the people who brought the cards are the owners. Card Readers will help us tremendously,” he stated.
While commending the NPAN for promoting the common good, Jega said one of the issues confronting the country was the challenge of good democratic governance. He said for a long time, Nigeria suffered from long authoritarian rule, so much so that 15 years after return to democratic rule, the legacy of authoritarian rule is still there. The INEC boss urged the NPAN to partner the commission in promoting voter education.
Earlier in a welcome address, the NPAN President and Publisher of Thisday, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, called for the withdrawal of all cases against journalists. He said the state of the media in the last two years was challenging, but eventful, noting that one of the achievements was the signing of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. Obaigbena said the challenge of the future was to ensure that FoI is given a life.
Some of those who attended the meeting were Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Publisher of The Sun and New Telegraph; Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard and Comfort Obi, Publisher of The Source magazine.
Others were Lady Maiden Ibru, Chief Executive Officer of The Guardian; Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, Managing Director, Champion; Mr. Ray Ekpu; Mallam Ismaila Isa, Mr. Femi Adesina, Managing Director, The Sun; Kabiru Yusuf; Chief Segun Osoba and Mr. Eluem Emeka Izeze, Managing Director, The Guardian, among others.
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Osun election ‘ll be better than Ekiti’s – INEC |
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