By Akinwale Kasali
The United Nation Development Programme, UNDP has partnered with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, towards achieving a hitch free, credible, free and fair election come 2023.
The International Body held an Induction Retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, at Four Point By Sheraton in Lagos for all the 36 States of the Federation as part of the lined up programmes by INEC to give the nation its best election ever.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu represented by INEC National Commissioner, Election and Party Monitoring Committee (EPMC), Sam Olumekun, at the induction retreat for administrative secretaries of the Commission, said it has reached assurances from security agencies to ensure a secured election.
He said: “We all should be bothered that people keep attacking INEC facilities, but we have assurances from security agencies that they will secure the election and so we rely on that.”
Yakubu reiterated that the Commission’s allegiance is to the country, adding that its loyalty is to Nigerians who want free, credible and verifiable elections.
He warned staff of the Commission to be neutral and professional in their conduct in preparations for the election.
Yakubu also stated that the combination of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal have come to stay as a means of voter accreditation and transmission of election results.
He urged the electorate to familiarise themselves with the election technologies of INEC, adding that the deployment of technology in elections was to have better polls.
Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said the improvement recorded in successive elections in the current dispensation and recent conduct of the off-season governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states raised the bar of election administration and management in the country with attendant positive perception of the voting public that their votes would count at the elections.
Deryck Fritz, the Chief Technical Advisor, UNDP, said the peaceful transfer of power was inextricably linked to processes and outcomes that were accepted by the political actors, civil society and the populace at large.
“INEC, as the constitutionally mandated electoral management body, must be and also be seen to be the impartial and neutral arbiter of the electoral contest.
“In line with SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and strong institutions, UNDP continues to support inclusive, transparent and credible electoral processes for peaceful and cohesive societies,” he said.
