The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Monday restated the call on the National Assembly to speed up the ongoing amendment of the nation’s constitution and the 2010 Electoral Act.
Jega, while speaking at the Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State chapter, in Abeokuta, said the speedy conclusion became necessary so as to hasten the preparations and release of timetable for the 2011 elections by INEC.
Represented by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ogun State, Mr. Martins Ogunfolami, the INEC chairman spoke as the guest speaker on the topic, ‘The Role of INEC towards achieving Credible Elections in 2011.’
According to him, “I must commend the efforts of the National Assembly on the constitution amendment. It is hoped that the amended Constitution/Electoral Act will spell out new timelines that will give INEC enough time to prepare adequately for the voter registration exercise and the elections.
“I, therefore, appeal for speedy conclusion to enable us to firm up preparations and release of the timetable for the exercise.”
He said the standard of the electoral process of any country was often measured in terms of the quality of its electoral laws.
Jega pointed out that the registration of voters and the conduct of free and fair election, should not be seen as an exclusive INEC concern.
He said that in January 2011, the commission would embark on a fresh registration of voters throughout the 120, 000 polling units of the federation, adding that the registration of voters formed the bedrock of credible elections.
According to him, “This time around, the machine is user friendly and has a lot of inbuilt security devices. It has Automated Fingerprint Identification System that will take all the 10 fingerprints of a registrant, thereby making double registration or registration by proxy impossible.”
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011090455975
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