INEC chairman commends US over 2015 polls
- Chairman of INEC Prof. Yakubu pledges that the Commission would continue to work closely with the US embassy
- Yakubu lists the fixing of specific dates ahead of the 2019 general elections as well as deepening the use of technology as other steps to improve on the country’s electoral system
Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday, May 10,, expressed his gratitude to the U.S. government for its commendation of the 2015 polls.
Yakubu said this while receiving the new United States Ambassador to Nigeria Stuart Symington at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He said the Commission is committed to making future elections in the country better than the 2015 exercise.
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He said: "You have noted that the elections were well organised and were of international standard and accepted, contrary to situation in the past where there were protests on the street after elections.
“After the 2015 elections, there were jubilations on the streets and this further underscored the achievement of the commission and the steps that Nigeria has taken towards consolidating its democracy.
“We appreciate your kind words; 2015 was a defining moment for Nigeria elections, but we want to assure you that the commission is conscious of its responsibility and we are committed to making future elections even better.
“It is for that reason we are have taking some steps in ensuring that the 2019 general elections are better that 2015 general elections,."
He said one of the steps being taken was proper planning.
“We have been planning ahead for 2019 general elections and beyond, and we have done so in many other areas in two ways.’’
He disclosed that the Commission will, from next week, commence the process of implementing its “2017-2021 Strategic Plan’’.
Yakubu said the Commission would also clean up the voters' register, conclude ongoing continuous voters' registration in 774 local governments before the 2019 general elections and continue the exercise later.
He also listed the fixing of specific dates ahead of the 2019 general elections as well as deepening the use of technology as other steps being taken to improve on the country’s electoral system.
Yakubu pledged that the commission would continue to work more closely with the US embassy to strengthen the country’s democracy and electoral process.
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“There is a lot we share in common with the US in terms of our democratic evolution. America practices presidential system, Nigeria also practices the presidential system.
“Many people don’t also realize that the Nigeria presidential democracy is second only to the US in terms of the size of registered voters.
“As I speak today, Nigeria has 70 million registered voters, and US is the only country that practices presidential democracy that has more registered voters than Nigeria,’’ he added.
Earlier, Symington had said that his visit to INEC was to learn how Nigeria conducted its elections.
He also commended the Commission for the success of 2015 general elections.
He said that conducting widely-accepted elections had helped Nigeria to play a leading role expected of it in Africa.
Symington said that majority views across the globe on the 2015 general elections was that the elections were conducted in the atmosphere of peace imposed by wind of hope and shaped by the certainty of comfort.
“So, the combination of peace, hope and comfort seems to me a sort of key that is needed, going forward,’’ he said.
He however listed good relationship and confidence between the leaders and the followers as some of the key factors required for good governance across the globe.
Legit.ng recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it has registered no fewer than fewer than 57,737 voters in first three days of the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) which commenced on Thursday April 27.
The commission disclosed this in an update statement issued on the exercise on Thursday May 4, in Abuja.
INEC made the statement through its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee Prince Adedeji Soyebi.
Watch this Legit.ng video TV INEC officials indicted for bribery and corruption during the river state rerun elections arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja:
Source: Legit.ng
