Civil society expresses doubts over INEC preparedness for 2015
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) slow preparation for the 2015 polls is giving members of the Civil Society Organisations worries especially the noncommencement of the continuous voters’ registration exercise.
Speaking at the Coalition of the Democrats for Electoral Reform (CODER) conversation held in Abuja yesterday, the national Coordinator of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) Chibuike Mgbeahuruike said the non-commencement of the continuous voters’ registration where people who had become eligible to vote register have put the “journey to credible elections in 2015 on hold.”
He said: “people irrespective of where they are should be able to register with ease. Until we see that happening, for people to vote in elections and that has not been happening.”
Mr. Samson Itodo from the Youth Action Initiative Africa expressed concern over the delay in the distribution of the permanent voters’ card even as the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states are few months away.
He also voiced doubts if one weekend would be enough to distribute the voters’ cards before the election as has been announced by the INEC. Itodo further challenged the commission to publish the names of its officers who have been found abetting politicians in rigging elections and the disciplinary actions taken against them to restore public confidence in its umpire position.
The Deputy General Manager of the Alliance for Credible Elections Echezona Asuzu said having staggered elections instead of having all in one day may result to violence as was experienced in 2011. He urged INEC to have a rethink on staggering the elections, saying “we shouldn’t be threading the path we have taken before which proved fatal”.
Asuzu also called for a better coordinated voters’ education. He lamented that due to poor awareness by voters, over one million votes were declared invalid in 2011 because they didn’t vote the right way.