Yakubu moves to depoliticise INEC

By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA – Apparently peeved by the recent partisan debates regarding his appointment, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has expressed his resolve to depoliticize the commission”so that INEC will no longer be an issue in our elections”.

He said he has witnessed elections in other climes where the identity of the chief electoral officer was not a subject of partisan debate, saying the time has come for Nigeria to join the league of advanced democracies.

Yakubu spoke yesterday when he received in audience the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright in Abuja.

According to the INEC boss, his first priority at the commission is to bring professionalism into election administration in the country and as well “instutionalize ICT-based solutions”.

He added that, “the success of the last general elections and the recent inconclusive governorship election in Kogi was made largely possible with the deployment of ICT”.‎

Yakubu also pledged ‎to improve engagement with major stakeholders for maximum participation, with emphasis on women, youths, the disadvantaged, internally-displaced persons and other vulnerable groups.

While seeking more technical assistance from the UK government, Yakubu said he would ensure that the commission consolidates on its modest successes in the last general elections.

In his remarks, Arkwright expressed the readiness of his home government to‎ partner with INEC in order to deepen Nigeria’s democracy.

He said the British government looks forward to getting a comprehensive brief from INEC stating major areas of necessary assistance.

Kogi poll : INEC distributes sensitive materials

The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has distributed sensitive materials that would be used in Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) who was at the INEC office in Lokoja on Thursday to witness the distribution noted that the materials were escorted out to various destinations amidst tight security.

It was also observed that the distribution of the materials was done in the presence of the representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress and other parties contesting the election.

Th state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Halilu Pai, who supervised the distribution, said that the materials included ballot papers and result sheets.

Pai said that the materials would be taken to the INEC offices in the 21 local government areas of the state from where they would later in the day be shared among the 239 wards.

According to him, the INEC is ready and committed to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable election.
He urged political parties, security agents and other stakeholders to play their roles according to the rules.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner also gave assurances that the fuel scarcity currently being experienced in the state would not in anyway impact negatively on the process and outcome of the election.

He said that the commission had made arrangements with some filling stations that would sell fuel to all vehicles on election duty , and that the stations had been prevailed upon to operate on 24-hour basis beginning from Friday.