7th July 2008.
Press Release
DPA COMMENDS, WARNS LASIEC ON REGULATIONS FOR COUNCIL POLLS
The Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) has endorsed regulations that the
Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) recently handed to
the parties for the October 11 council polls, charging the agency not to
waver in applying them.
DPA’s statement by its Director of Publicity, Felix Oboagwina,
particularly commended LASIEC’s resolve to implement:
· Modified Open Ballot or Open-Secret voting system,
· Banning of contestants from using government vehicles and facilities
for campaigns and polls,
· Free-of-charge applications, and
· Dropping of tax papers from the list of contestants’ requirements.
“This may just be the end of bojubobu politics in Lagos State,” DPA
said. “It comes from the calibre of person that is the LASIEC Chairman,
Hon. Justice Afolabi Abdul-Fatai Adeyinka. The eminent Judge is a man of
integrity, and he appears convinced that he must operate in a way that
will maintain his good name and credibility. And the system he has adopted
will not only satisfy the electorate and the parties, the transparency
will ensure nothing soils his reputation.”
At a meeting with the parties last week, LASIEC had agreed to use the
open-secret mode of election, with accreditation taking place
simultaneously first thing in the morning throughout the state within a
specific time-belt. Thereafter, voters would secretly thumbprint their
choice candidates and parties, and openly insert the ballot-paper into the
ballot-box placed in the full glare of voters, electoral officers,
security operatives and party agents. At the end of voting, ballot boxes
would be opened in the presence of the public, with vote counting
happening immediately, equally in the presence of voters.
Recalling that LASIEC promised to conduct a free, credible and transparent
election, DPA credited the Justice Abdul-Fatai Adeyinka-led LASIEC for its
apparent willingness to create a level playing field for all contestants.
“June 12 endures till today because people identify with its
transparency and credibility. We can borrow the key elements that lent to
its world-acclaimed success, and this is what LASIEC has promised,” the
party statement said.
According to the DPA, elements that contributed to the making of June 12
included: Accreditation taking place within a synchronised time-belt, open
casting of votes, syncronised voting time to eliminate ghost, migratory
and double voting, counting of ballot in the presence of voters and open
declaration of results immediately at the end of voting.
However, the party challenged the Commission to remember that good
intentions sometimes collapsed under the weight of shoddy implementation
and urged LASIEC to ensure its full-time and ad hoc employees demonstrated
commitment to implementing a fraud-proof council election.
“The Commission and its operatives must not only talk-the-talk, they
must as well walk-the-walk,” DPA said.
FELIX OBOAGWINA
Director of Publicity, Lagos DPA
08033327355.