The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday warned
politicians to note that the era of election malpractices by political
parties was over. This was as it advised politicians planning to snatch
ballot boxes or write election results in hotels to have a rethink as
the commission had taken necessary measures to make the elections free
and fair.
The commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)
in Rivers State, Gesila Khan, who gave the warning in Port Harcourt
during an interactive session with leaders of political parties stressed
that no result recorded in an unauthorized place would be accepted in
the February elections. She emphasized that INEC would ensure that only
the authentic outcome of the general elections were announced.
According
to her, “If you had followed Delta Central election in October 2013,
you would know that we are ready to work in Rivers State. The zone is
known for violence, but INEC was able to conduct the election without
violence. “Being in Rivers State today, one man does not do the
job alone; it is a collective effort. The era where election materials
disappear into thin air has passed. The era where politicians sit in a
hotel or elsewhere and write results are over.
“Politicians should
go and canvass for votes and let the people decide. Nobody is going to
write results anywhere. The results that would be announced are the ones
collated on the field. We are going to do our work by the grace of
God.” Explaining that different ballot papers would be sent to
various local government areas, she noted that local government areas
would have different colours while the result sheets would be coded
according to the area they would be used.
Khan said INEC had distributed 88.33 per cent of the permanent voter cards (PVCs), adding that the exercise was still ongoing. Hear
the REC, “Enquiries and research qualify an election to be adjudged as
free and fair when the following conditions are placed and or are met:
non-partisan electoral body, independence and a bold judiciary, a
well-organised system of political parties and vibrant and well informed
electorate.”While tasking political parties to go about their
politicking in an atmosphere devoid of violence, she urged them to
assist INEC in making the elections free and fair.
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