Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
\nAmina Bala Zakari has called on Resident Electoral Commissioner\u2019s (RECs)
\nto remain impartial and committed to the delivery of qualitative electoral
\nservices to the country.<\/p>\n
She made the call yesterday at a meeting with RECs, at the Commission\u2019s
\nheadquarters in Abuja.<\/p>\n
The Acting Chairman called for caution, noting that the Commission was
\nexperiencing challenges in the management of the various cases before the
\nelection petition tribunals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe shall continue to uphold our role as independent, non-partisan and an
\nunbiased umpire. We must ensure that we act according to the rules and
\nremain above board, as well as cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure
\nfree, fair and un-interrupted dispensation of justice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the agenda of the meeting, Amina Zakari said:\u00a0 \u201cOur meeting
\ntoday is designed to enable us focus and re-strategize on key issues of
\nthe electoral process. It is obvious that the recommendations from the Uyo
\nretreat have been far-reaching. We need to understudy those reports with a
\nview to identifying suitable modalities for the implementation of the
\nrecommendations therein\u201d.<\/p>\n
The recommendations which required urgent attention, Mrs. Zakari said,
\nincluded:<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Continuous Voter Registration and Permanent Voter Cards\u2019 distribution,<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Improved communication strategies with internal and external
\nstakeholders<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ad-hoc staff matters (recruitment, training and payment)<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Legal reforms among others<\/p>\n
On the forthcoming Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship elections, she challenged
\nthe RECs and staff of the Commission to raise the bar and ensure the
\nelections met world-class standards. Said she: \u201cit is important to begin
\nto look towards the necessary mechanisms that would positively impact on
\nthe conduct of these exercises. We have already set good records; but
\nshould still improve to make the elections a world class exercise\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Acting Chairman used the opportunity to announce the confirmation of
\nformer Secretary of INEC, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama, as REC by the Senate,
\nand stressed the need to secure electioneering materials and INEC offices
\nnationwide.<\/p>\n
Also at the meeting, the official presentation of the 2015 Election Report
\nwas done by the Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Professor
\nAbubakar Momoh.<\/p>\n
While making the presentation, Professor Momoh noted that the report was a
\ncollective effort, with inputs from states which gave it the needed
\ncohesion. \u201cIt is not an attempt to idealize the 2015 general elections,
\nbut a sober reflection of the realities of the electoral process\u201d, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Amina Bala Zakari has called on Resident Electoral Commissioner\u2019s (RECs) to remain impartial and committed to the delivery of qualitative electoral…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n