(Press Statement) Nigeria Voters Assembly Commends INEC for Conducting Fair Election in Ekiti Nigeria Voters Assembly is pleased with INEC for living up to expectations of the people, realizing the huge tasks placed on its shoulders to achieve qualitatively, positive outcomes in the Ekiti June 21 election given that the will of the people prevailed throughout the election and reconfirming that political office holders can only derive their powers and authority from the people.
It is pleasing that INEC made Nigerians happy, given the success recorded in Ekiti state, reassuring them that it can be relied on for better conduct of elections in Osun and subsequently in the 2015 general elections. In fact, INEC showed seriousness in the conduct of the June 21 election making it the best litmus tests for what to expect in 2015.
It is noteworthy that in the election, Political Parties followed INEC guidelines by enlightening their members, candidates and general public on issues pertaining to the election while upholding the minimum standards for free, fair and free from fear election that made the outcome legitimate as the winner won on the popular votes of the people.
The conduct of election in Ekiti this time around, showed that INEC benefited tremendously from the partnership and participation of election stakeholders, explaining why the election was a reversal of the experience in Anambra. Indeed, outcomes from the election in Ekiti no doubt impacted well on INEC credibility and confirmed once again that Prof. Attahiru Jega could not be linked with any fraudulent alliance with political parties and candidates.
Amazingly, the experience in Ekiti state showed that where the INEC was ready to follow its own guidelines and enforce its rules, political parties and candidates are also ready to abide and behave in accordance with the law, therefore as the electorate are preparing to come out to express preference for their preferred candidate in the Osun Governorship election, the following actions are suggested for the adoption of INEC to further strengthen the confidence of the people in its operations
Ø INEC must not allow backward slide in the conduct of the state of Osun election in August regarding late arrival of election officials and materials, mass disenfranchisement of voters, through omission or misplacement of names of voters, and absence of voting.
Ø INEC must publish the list of its officials with names, contact phones and status before the election in National newspapers and on its websites for transparency including the list of voting areas and polling units in the states where election is being conducted with contact description and community names to ease navigation, making them accessible to electoral officials, observers, media, party agents and other stakeholders.
Ø INEC must continue to be on top of its usual transportation logistics challenges and must maintain its zero tolerance to politicians with underserved security details loitering around polling units to deter movement of thugs from monitoring the election process. It will help a lot to reduce violence.
Ø INEC must continue to embrace inter-agency cooperation to re-direct the electoral processes from being undermined by violence and cooperate with security agencies to ensure that the tradition of causing violence during elections is obliterated, when perpetrators of electoral violence are promptly arrested and prosecuted so that the peace we deserve can be achieved from 2014 to 2015.
Comrade Mashood Erubami
President, Nigeria
Voters Assembly (VOTAS)
