INEC calls for synergy among stakeholders to achieve success

Agboke made this remarks when he played host to the State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Iskilu Akinsanya in his office.

“For us to now achieve the entire success together, INEC is not the only stakeholder. We have all the security agencies, National Orientation Agency and media organisations,” he said.

Agboke said that the stakeholders must come together towards achieving all that INEC had designed with the laid down modalities.

According to him,”if INEC is working in a particular direction and the security agency is going in the other direction, we can not achieve the desires success.

“If INEC is looking for a way to give correct information to members of the public and the media is misinforming, are we on the same page?

“And the need for us to change the narrative is the reason why we are calling on all the stakeholders.”

He lamented the harassment, intimidation and arrest of INEC officials during the last general  elections by security agencies, saying none of the security agencies have such right.

“NSCDC has no power to maltreat or punish any INEC official without recourse to the REC. No security agency in Nigeria has any power to harass, intimidate or arrest any REC without recourse to our Chairman,” he said.

Agboke said that the commission lost one out of the 32 cases instituted against it at the election petition tribunals sitting in the state, while others were disposed off.

“Let me inform you that the commission was sued at the election petitions tribunal for 32 cases from governorship election to house of reps, senators to House of Assembly. 32 of them.

“I think three of them were withdrawn. As I speak to you now, all the cases have been disposed off by the tribunal. Out of the 32 now, the commission only lost one,” he said.

He said that some of the tribunal cases have gone to the appellate level, saying the commission has received series of notices of appeal.

The REC said that the commission had taken stock of the few inadequacies on its part in the election in terms of logistics, ad hoc staff and operations, assuring that they would be improved upon.

Agboke, who said more that 700,000 Permanent Voter’s Cards were yet to be collected in the state, promised that the commission would soon open its voter registration exercise.

Earlier, Akinsanya said that the visit to INEC was significant to further strengthen the cordial relationship which existed between the two organisations.

He said that NSCDC and INEC were partners in progress, describing INEC as a pillar of the nation whose contribution to nation building can’t be underestimated.

“To have good governance starts from electioneering processes and which is INEC. That shows the country cannot be at peace without INEC,” he said.