Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commissio, INEC has highlighted the need for more broad based stakeholders engagement ahead of forthcoming elections across the country.
Some federal constituency elections are scheduled for mid 2021, while the Anambra state Governorship election holds in November and the Ekiti state Governorship election is expected to hold in 2022, before the General election in 2023.
Chairman of the INEC, Professor Mahmud Yakubu made this known on Tuesday, while presenting before the Lawmakers, the state of voter’s access to polling units in Nigeria.
According to Professor Yakubu, the presentation became necessary to help Nigerians appreciate the level of crisis caused by limited access to polling units and how INEC intends to solve the problem.
Credibility of elections
He therefore appealed to the Lawmakers and Nigerians as a whole, to support the project which is geared towards improving the credibility of elections in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the National Assembly joint committee on INEC & Electoral Matters, Senator KABIRU Gaya, assured Nigerians that no stone would be left unturned in supporting INEC to ensure greater access to polling units in Nigeria.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan believes that the support for INEC would exceed creating better voting environments,but to also help the commission mobilise Nigerians effectively to vote for their Leaders.
He also re-echoed the Lawmakers’ commitment to passing the New Electoral Bill and the reviewed 1999 Constitution, before the 2021 annual recess of the National Assembly.
Lateefah Ibrahim/COV/EDWIN
