Mindful of scathing criticisms against its apparent inefficiency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would prove critics wrong in the 2015 general elections. To achieve optimal performance, it said it has put in place adequate measures that would guarantee free, fair and credible election next year. To achieve its desired goal, it has begun sensitisation of the electorate on what is required of them during next year’s election.
The INEC representative in Amuwo/Odofin Local Government Area, Mr Tajudeen Adeyemi said the electoral body is poised to make the 2015 general elections better than that of 2011, even as he said its determination to deliver credible election next year informed the sensitisation efforts in all the local government areas and wards in Lagos State on the collection of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and fresh registration of those whose names did not appear on the voters register and those who had attained the age of 18 years after the 2011 registration exercise.
The fresh registration exercise in Lagos State began today.
Mr Adeyemi spoke at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting the commission held for residents of Oriade Local Council Development Area at the council’s secretariat.
Soliciting for continued support to the commission in order to make the electoral process more meaningful, he disclosed that INEC has adopted a system of getting everybody involved in the electoral process.
Mr Adeyemi maintained that the essence of the stakeholders’ meeting was to appeal to every Nigerian to contribute to the success of the electoral process in the country by participating in the continuous registration exercise which will enable them to vote for their choice candidates in 2015 general elections. He advised those who were not able to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) which was concluded in some local government areas on Monday to visit the headquarters of their various local governments to collect them.
He further said that INEC has put a process in place which aims at ensuring that INEC becomes one of the best election management bodies in the world.
“Towards this end, we’ve lined up series of activities that would ensure that 2015 elections are better than those of 2011. We have embarked on continuous voter’s registration. The continuous voter’s registration will be different from that of 2011 in two aspects.
“The 2011 registration exercise was held within two weeks. This time around, we are not going to give a specific time frame. Once we start, it will continue for a long time.
“The essence is to register our children that have attained voting age. We also want to capture in our database those who were not able to register for the 2011 general elections. Those who successfully registered in 2011 need not register again because what they need is the permanent voter’s card from INEC,” he said.
Mr Adeyemi urged the people to go to where they registered in 2011 to request and collect their permanent voters’ cards, even as he said they should go with the temporary voters’ card, give it to the distribution officer who ensures that the person signs, thumb prints and collects the PVC.
The exercise lasted from Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
In the Oriade Council area, Mr Adeyemi revealed that there are areas, especially in Kirikiri that have problems. He specifically said nine areas in Kirikiri have problems and would only witness fresh registration of voters as against collection of the PVCs. He also disclosed that registration centre in Kirikiri will be at Dr Lukas Memorial High School.
For Agboju/Amuwo, the registration centre will be at Agboju Secondary School while registration centre in Ijegun will take place at Ijegun-Egba Primary School, even as he said registration of voters in Irede and Ibeshe, two riverside communities will be at Local Authority Primary School Irede and Local Authority Primary School Ibeshe respectively.
Those living in Satellite will register at Satellite Primary School, he said.
Commenting on the stakeholders’ meeting on the continuous voters’ registration, the Ovori of Ibeshe, Oba Gausu Alani Rasaki said the meeting aimed at letting the people know what to do and how to go about exercising their franchise.
The royal father said one of the duties of traditional rulers is to organise their subjects in such a manner that would enable them to participate actively in any process that will enhance the well-being of the society, even as he said “there is no way you can separate royal fathers from the scheme of things. This, he said, is because they play fatherly roles on how to deliver the benefits of democracy to the people at the grassroots. We know our subjects and what they want. We are in a better position to talk to them for peace to reign.
“They people’s needs are simply good roads to evacuate their farm produce. Residents of the riverside communities need quality health care, among other needs.”
Contributing, the Council Manager, Mrs Florence Omotunde Peters said the programme was organised for people in this council area to know what is expected of them in terms of registration and collection of the permanent voters’ cards. As a result of rumours concerning the date for the exercise, we deemed it fit to put the records straight with regard to when exactly the exercise will hold.
She noted that the people of Oriade LCDA are politically vibrant, even as she advised them and other Nigerians to remain politically active and wise in casting their votes so that the right people will be in government for the well-being of all Nigerians.
