Observers commend INEC on logistics

The Programme Coordinator, African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development, Monday Osasah, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the arrangements made for the Saturday governorship election.

Osasah,  an accredited observer for the exercise, said the distribution of kits and materials to the observers and electoral officers went smoothly.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, he said the situation was calm as election materials were distributed.

Osasah noted that the distribution of materials to observers by proxy was not allowed by the organisers.

He said, “One good thing that the Independent National Electoral Commission has done this time is not to distribute materials to observers through their leaders or heads.

“The new method is that every observer must be physically present to be given kits. This is a big plus and it shows readiness on the part of INEC to conduct a credible election.

“It is also good that over 20,000 security personnel have been deployed for the election.”

He stressed that there was a robust collaboration between INEC and election observing groups to monitor the election.

“There was a briefing on Thursday where INEC rolled out its expectations of us. We in the civil society movement here are in agreement entirely with INEC.

Also, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Musa, told NAN that reforms were still needed to perfect electoral processes.

“We will continue to demand for reforms because all is still not well with the existing legal frameworks to institute an inclusive voting process,” he said.

In his view, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Centenary Group, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said the successful conduct of the Anambra election would impact on Nigeria’s international rating.

He said, “As we approach 100 years of the existence of the Nigerian state, credible elections are part of the assessment index to rate how transformational we are becoming.”

The Secretary-General, Conscience Nigeria, Opeyemi Duke, urged INEC not to disappoint Nigerians in the election.

“We will measure the success of the election by the flood of litigations over irregularities the contestants will bring before the election tribunal and the courts,” he noted

NAN