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The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to ensure the 2015 presidential elections was free from glitches, and controversies that dogged the just concluded Anambra Governorship election.
Making the call in Abuja, the Tax Payers Association of Nigeria (TAPAN), expressed worry at the allegations that trailed the election.
President of the association, Barrister Phillip Ilokhulo, in a statement, also called on the INEC to ensure proper handling of the review of voters register to eliminate cases of missing names on the voters register.
TAPAN which commended the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega for the prompt action taken against all those allegedly culpable in electoral malpractices, also called on the political parties to ensure it carries out proper voters education.
The association which decried calls by some political parties for the total cancellation of the exercise, urged those aggrieved to participate in the supplementary elections and if they still dissatisfied , to head to court.
” We do not think cancelling the whole exercise will be the right move because like it or not tax payers foot the bills. So we agree you have the right to be aggrieved, but since areas with very obvious problems have been listed for supplementary, they should participate. But if they still aggrieved then they should seek legal redress with their facts”
TAPAN said ‘ We are quite worried about the controversies that trailed the election. We know Jega has good intentions but we are convinced more need to be done in the areas of the voters register and accreditation of voters”
The association added ” we should not allow this to happen again in 2015. INEC should educate the people in concert with the parties on the issues ov the register and consequences of multiple registration so we do not have people saying their names were missing and INEC saying they were missing because the registered twice or three times.”
The parties, according to INEC, should also look at the issue of rejected votes which stood at 16, 544.
Said TAPAN” If you look at the number of rejected votes, it is alarming. The parties have a lot a do, they must educate the grassroots folks on how to thumbprint properly. That number could make a huge difference in a close race