In the build-up to the 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday, revealed that poor funding may hamper voter education.
The commission’s chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, told the new Ambassador of the United States (U.S.) to Nigeria, James Entwistle, in his office that his commission has been working hard to prepare for the 2015 general elections but said Nigerians should not expect a perfect election.
Jega also informed his audience that the commission will embark on a retreat next week in Kaduna where the 2015 election timetable will be given a finishing touch.
The commission which, however, expressed confidence in its ability to do its best in the conduct of the election, noted that it has taken so many measures to position itself for the conduct of a transparent election in 2015, noting that
it is faced with so many challenges as it prepares for the elections.
The INEC chairman noted that the commission has, in its efforts to give Nigeria the best in 2015, commenced on retraining and reorganisation of its staff, as well as being
involved in other strategic plans to meet its set target for the elections.
Jega also disclosed that the commission has planned a retreat for its staff and its Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) next week in Kaduna, adding that the commission will use the opportunity to finalise its timetable for the 2015 general elections.
The INEC chairman, who disclosed that the commission has been holding series of meetings with security agents, civil organisations as well development partners on measures that will be taken to conduct a hitch free election, also lamented
that with the fund available to the commission for the 2015 election, it will face challenge of carrying out a complete voter education exercise before the general elections.
“We are not promising a perfect election in 2015 but we are confident that we will do our best. We have taken some steps to achieve this, for instance staff training in collaboration with development partners, strategic plans, reorganised staff. We are planning a retreat to finalise the timetable for 2015.
“We are still on the continuous voters register and have held series of meetings with security agencies, CSOs and development partners ahead of 2015. While it is the responsibility of INEC to organise civic and other registration awareness, the commission faces challenges of funding as well.
“It is our responsibility under the Electoral Act to do civil education and even political education generally. It has always been challenging because the resources available to discharge that responsibility are usually insufficient, given the enormity of the task of dealing with a large illiterate population and to get them really understand what to do not only during voting but the larger issues of costing good
candidates and so on. So, there is a lot of things the CSOs can do,” Jega noted.
Entwistle noted that he was at the INEC office to familiarise himself and introduce himself and his team to the INEC chairman, stressing that his visit was also to identify he areas where the United States government will be of help to the commission to ensure that it conducts a free and fair and
transparent election in 2015.
“I have been here for two and a half months and I
want to come over and pay my respect for the Chairman of Nigeria’s election commission because as I have stated clearly in some of my public comments, as Nigerians move to elections next year, my government and the people of United
States stand with the people of Nigeria as they move towards a peaceful and transparent election which the Nigerian people deserve. I have to introduce myself and some of my team to INEC. Obviously, we will work very closely towards the U.S. support for this election.
“We just met inside to decide what to do and focus on things like polling the capabilities of INEC, perhaps supporting
indigenous Nigerians and observer groups. Very soon, we will get back to you with the details.
“The funding of INEC is a Nigerian matter and that of the National Assembly. But we are looking at a way we can help INEC through different technical funds and so on. In any election campaign, obviously freedom of speech is very important. But in all countries in the world including my own country, politicians have a responsibility to be responsible in what they say. In talking about the issues, they should be very fair in what they say. Any comment by anybody, talking about democracies all over the world that will flare up ethnic tensions, promote violence and engage in unfair criticism of the process is very unfortunate and it is not acceptable,” he stated.
