22nd November, 2010
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently launch a physical audit of all polling booths in the country, against the backdrop of allegations that 30,000 of the 120,000 figure being bandied around are non-existent.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the issue is very important because it could affect the success of next year’s polls.
”Because of the published allegation that some 30,000 voting centres are non-existent, we are constrained to call on INEC to conduct a thorough audit of all polling booths, including their locations and physical addresses, and make the report of such audit available to all political parties, so they can raise any concerns they may have. This will also enable INEC to respond robustly to the allegation.
”We say this because of the implication of accommodating non-existent polling booths in the preparations for the polls. With about 500 votes per booth, it simply means that some 15 millions votes are available for mischief makers who can use the huge number to swing any election, thus ruining the chances of a free, fair and credible elections promised Nigerians by President Goodluck Jonathan and INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega.
”It also means that one-quarter of the huge resources allocated to INEC for the acquisition of Direct Data Capture machines and the conduct of the registration exercise will either be wasted or embezzelled,” ACN said.
The party also called on INEC to start planning to commission a video recording of all that will transpire at every polling booth during the voting process, and make copies of the video tapes available to all political parties.
”We are aware that INEC has said there willl be no no-go areas for international observers during the elections. This is good. But we want INEC to go one step further by commissioning official videographers in every polling booth across the country. ”This will definitely curb incidences of ballot stuffing, hijacking of ballot boxes and the perpetration of violence around polling centres. It will also ensure that once results are announced at every polling booth, they cannot be changed at the collation centres.
”Concerns over cost should not be a hindrance, since we are sure political parties will be willing to assist INEC, if necessary, in this regard. After all, it will be cheaper to ensure a free and fair election than to embark on years of costly litigation, as we are currently experiencing,” it said.
ACN said it is compelled to make the suggestions above because it believes that while there may be little to give one cause for joy in the preparations so far, the party is made up of incurable optimists about ‘Project Nigeria’, and therefore wishes to support and encourage INEC to get it right in 2011.
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