2015 ELECTION WILL BE DIFFICULT TO RIG, SAYS WHO?

INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega

Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman says 2015 election will be difficult to rig by politicians. He asuring that in spite of the general insecurity in the North-east, no part of the country will be disenfranchised. Jega spoke with thisday in USA where he was monitoring the mid-term election. He also said that all the good things the commission did in 2011 would be repeated in 2015.

Jega said politicians would no longer be able to buy cards or use the cards of dead people to vote as card reader will be use for the election which they believe that it will add tremendous integrity to the electoral system. He said the reason for biometric registration and distribution of permanent voter cards is to use card readers with electronic chips that will help identify the person who was actually registered.

Jega said “Security is a major challenge. However, we are working with the security network to ensure that elections are held in every part of Nigeria including the North-east. The INEC boss added: “We have to earn the confidence and trust of voters in our country. Sadly Nigerian politicians suspect everything we do but we have to make it clear we are working towards a transparent electoral system, letting them know we work towards having a level playing field for everybody.”

Jega said he was not favouring one group over other through the creation of more polling units which he said reflected the actual number of voters in the electoral register. On the complaints of Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola on the distribution of Permanent Voter card, Jega stressed that the objective of the electoral body was to produce enough voters’ cards for all the local governments and that if the distribution process had not covered everyone; it only meant the cards were no

He said he was not favouring one group over the other through the creation of more polling units which he said reflected the actual number of voters in the electoral register. On the complaints of Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola on the distribution of Permanent Voter card, Jega stressed that the objective of the electoral body was to produce enough voters’ cards for all the local governments and that if the distribution process had not covered everyone; it only meant the cards were not ready.

He said it is not possible to exclude anybody based on religion as decision are taken collectively by two electoral commissioners from each zone and not by him.

Read detail fromThisday