INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, disclosed this at a workshop organised for senior police officers in a paper entitled: ‘‘Conduct of free and fair elections: INEC perspective.’’
He regretted that there were many loopholes in the electoral process prior to his assumption of office which, according to him, eroded the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral process.
However, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has reassured that the 2015 general election will be the best in the history of the country so far.
According to Jega: “One of the first things we did when we came in was to see how we could minimise fraudulent activities in the conduct of elections and we went back to the basics in the conduct of elections.
“First and foremost, we said our ballot papers must be serially numbered and in our country in 2007, even in presidential elections, our ballot papers were not serially numbered.
“Since 2011, we ensured that all ballot papers for our elections were serially numbered and in the distribution of these materials, we ensured that party agents and other observers knew which serial numbers went to each state and each local government , which ward and which pooling unit.
He said if elections observers and party agents were meticulous, a situation where ballot papers could move from one area could easily be avoided and if it happened, it could easily be known and addressed.
Jega said they ensured each ballot box they deployed was serially numbered which would make them to know which ballot box was taken to which area.
“We have decided that all our ballot papers should be colour coded. In 2011, we started a coding for ballot papers so that each state had its own different colour. It will, therefore, be obvious if you carry a ballot paper from one state to the other.”
Jega reiterated that: “As I speak with you, we have moved to customisation. By the time we did the successive governorship elections, we were customising ballot papers to local governments so that the colour of ballot paper from one local government to another will be different.’’
“As I speak with you now, even our result sheets are customized. In the past result sheets are profomers and politicians can attack a pooling unit and tear a result sheet and write result and bring it back into the collation process. “
“We have made sure that result sheets are customized now. If there is emergency, there is a robust plan for replacement.”
He lamented that: Nigerians have aspired for democracy and they have aspire for free, fair and credible elections that can pave the way for the deepening and consolidation of democracy, but that this aspiration has been continuously frustrated to the extent that one can say most Nigerians have been wondering about whether democracy is worth it.
“I think, we have to constantly tell Nigerians that struggling for democracy is worth it, participation to deepen democracy is worth it, but also we have to do our best to ensure that we satisfy that aspirations that Nigerians have for democracy.”
Speaking, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, reiterated that the 2015 general elections will be one of the best in the history of the country.
“It must be stated that the Nigerian police will do more to further understand our role and fully meet up with all challenges ahead.
“The 2015, general elections, I assure you all will be one of the most peacefully conducted national elections in Nigerian. All Nigerians, and indeed the international community at large at interested in seeing that these elections are not only safe and secured but are free, fair and credible.
“We need and the understanding and full cooperation of all stakeholders to make this a reality. The task of providing adequate security during the electoral process is one of the daunting challenges facing security agencies today.
“The Nigeria Police, therefore, being the lead agency will, with the cooperation of other sister agencies do everything that is possible that can be done to secure to electoral officers, protect electoral venues and electorates.”
Source: Tribune
