20th October, 2014
Jamiu Yisa
There is no rift between the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) over the parameter used in creating 30,000 new polling units and the propriety of introducing such a controversial project on the eve of a crucial election year, the Lagos State REC, Adekunle
Ogunmola has said.
A national newspaper had reported that moves by Jega to incorporate the proposed 30,000 new polling units into the work plan of the electoral body for the 2015 general election had created tension at a meeting recently.
It was reported that the matter became a source of heated arguments and tempers flared as opinions became divided on the rationale behind the creation of the new voting points barely three months to the 2015 elections
Speaking to newsmen at the workshop organised by the United Nations Development Programme-Democratic Governance for Development (UNDP-DGD) organised for key officers of INEC on the distribution of Permanent Voters Card and Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) held in Lagos on Monday, Ogunmola said both Jega and the RECs are putting heads together towards ensuring that the 2015 elections is better than previously held elections in the country.
Speaking on the need for the workshop, Ogunmola said that the voters register used in conducting the 2011 election was imperfect but was used because there was little time left for INEC to make the necessary corrections.
He added that INEC has made the necessary corrections through the introduction of Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS).
“It is a common knowledge that the voters register we produced during the last registration exercise in 2011 was not perfect. But because of the exigencies of time, the Commission used it for the General Elections in 2011, with the plans to work on it after the elections”.
“So to guarantee the integrity of this important document, the Commission had to ensure its correctness by validating the process through Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS). With the completion of the of the consolidation and the de-duplication of the biometric Register of Voters, we are confident to say that we have one of the best register of voters in Africa, and that made it possible for the Commission to produce the PVRs.”
Addressing the participants, Bolade Eyinla, a national elections expert with UNDP said “the overall goal of the UNDP/GDP in sponsoring this workshop is to enable INEC officials at the Headquarters acquaint you with the modalities and processes for the distribution of the PVC and familiarize you with the conduct of the CVR”.