Jega Solicits U.S Help on Electoral Matters

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for more
collaboration with the U.S on electoral process in the country.
The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attaihiru Jega, made the call on Monday
when, Mr James Entwistle, the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, led a delegation
to his office in Abuja.
According to him, INEC is doing everything possible to improve on the
electoral process to ensure that elections in the country are credible and
transparent.
Jega assured the ambassador that INEC would organise better elections and
announced that “the commission will be having a retreat soon where we will
discuss issues concerning the 2015 general elections.
“It is at the retreat that we will discuss the election timetable and
other issues concerning the voter register,’’ Jega said.
He also said that the commission would continue to partner with relevant
development agencies to help train its staff.
Earlier, Entwistle said that the U.S government would stand by Nigeria as
it moved to organise “open and transparent election’’.
He said the U.S government would be willing to help INEC improve in the
area of its technical capability and support observer groups that monitor
elections.
Entwistle advised politicians that would want to overheat the polity to
desist from doing so.
“I advise politicians to shun overheating the polity with politics of
bitterness. All politicians have the responsibility to be responsible to
what they say,’’ he said. (NAN)