The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Attahiru Jega

  • Anambra poll: Jega stresses importance of voters’ register

    Anambra poll: Jega stresses importance of voters’ register

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has stressed the importance of credible voters’ register in conducting free, fair and credible elections.

    He also promised to make the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 16 the benchmark for subsequent elections in the country.

    Jega, who spoke on Thursday at a meeting  with stakeholders on preparations for the election, which was attended by almost all the registered political parties in the country, noted that with the revalidation of the code of conduct by political parties and also the planned revalidation of voters register, the  electoral body is sure of a  huge success.

    He, however, solicited for the support of all the stakeholders in the state, saying that without their full cooperation, every plan put in place would amount to nothing.

    He hinted that the meeting was proposed to discuss in details the steps and measures put in place to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in the state.

  • INEC pledges transparency in constituency delimitation

    INEC pledges transparency in constituency delimitation

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has assured Nigerians that the current delimitation of constituencies would be transparent, impartial and non-partisan.

    In a communiqué issued in Enugu on Monday at the end of its national retreat on delimitation, the commission said its members would be non-partisan and selfless and would resist political pressure.

    The communiqué, signed by the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, and some other stakeholders, said it was clear that once the criteria for the delimitation were fair and transparent, it would be difficult to impute politics or ulterior motives into it.

    It said that even though the delimitation exercise was daunting, the commission must give its best shot by refusing adamantly to be hostage to its fears or playing the ostrich.

    “Even though the aspects of the 2006 census have been contested, it remains the most credible source of data to carry out the exercise; the commission should predicate on it,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the commission as saying in the communiqué.

    The communiqué observed that the current delimitation structure was a product of the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) which initiated the idea in 1996.

    It explained that the structure had been severely criticised for manifesting features which were at variance with international best practices including “mal-apportionments” and other inequalities that challenged the principle of equal representation.

    The communiqué explained that delimitation was meant to engender equality in electoral constituencies and not to create additional seats at the national level.

    The commission pledged to collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure the success of the exercise.

     

  • 2015: Politicians want INEC to ‘frustrate’ election riggers

    2015: Politicians want INEC to ‘frustrate’ election riggers

    Some politicians on Sunday in Lagos charged the Independent National Electoral Commission) to devise ways to frustrate election riggers in 2015.

    It will be recalled that INEC on Friday promised to frustrate riggers in the 2015 elections with a “clean” voter register.

    The commission also said it was working on scientific measures to counter problems such as multiple voting, sale of voter cards and snatching of ballot boxes.

    Speaking on the issue, a former Chairman of the FCT Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Sunny Moniedafe, said he hoped the commission could keep to its word.

    “I hope INEC can keep to its words because our dear country is where it is today as those in government feel they do not need the voters to win elections.”

    According to him, Prof. Attahiru Jega is not the problem in the conduct of elections.

    Moniedafe alleged that the commissioners in the past were the ones, who messed up Nigeria’s electoral process, saying, “if they can change, it will be better for everybody.”

    The National Public Relations Officer of KOWA Party, Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya, also wished that INEC did what was right.

    “Let INEC do the right thing; we have found out that in this country that those in authority are known to be saying one thing today and doing another tomorrow,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Prof. Sonaiya as saying on the issue.

    She urged INEC to ensure that the 2015 election, if not the best should be near-perfect, adding that expectations of Nigerians were high.sONY