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By Nasir Kura
The National Council of State on Tuesday endorsed arrangements by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for next month’s general elections.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council’s meeting in Abuja, said the Council of State State was satisfied with the presentation of INEC chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, on the conduct of the forthcoming elections.
He said: “The Council was briefed by the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and the briefing, as accepted by everybody, was very lucid, clear and it was all encompassing. The INEC Chairman took the Council through all the processes that are going to be followed at the general elections.
“In his briefing, he informed the Council of the preparedness of INEC and everybody in the hall was convinced that INEC was ready for this election. A lot of things have been put in place and we all concluded that it was important for the INEC Chairman to even speak to the nation on the preparedness of INEC for this election and that will convince all of us that this forthcoming election is going to be free and fair.
“It was made know that they have improved card readers and what has been done to improve it was made known and it was also made known that the process of accreditation and voting immediately after accreditation was the best so that when you are accredited you vote at the same time and you leave. He also told the Council that they are not lacking in terms finance and that all the money appropriated, have been given to them and they are ready for the election. And he went further to inform the Council that all training and retraining of every category of staff that they will use have started and they are having consultations with every group of people, religious, artisans and trade unions and so on to let them know.
“He has informed us that there is no way they are going to go out of the category of people they use for election when it comes to the issue of university vice chancellors, University students at times, and NYSC members. So, everybody was convinced. INEC as at today is ready for election and questions were put, he was interrogated and he respondent and gave adequate explanations to the satisfaction of every one of us.”
The governor also told journalists that the INEC Chairman informed the council that all Nigerians have a role to play in the forthcoming election.
“The chairman of INEC without being specific made a point. And that point is what I want all of us not only in this hall but the whole of Nigeria to note, that the success of election does not rest with INEC alone. Election will only be successful by the participation of everybody and that whatever it may be, we must take politics out of the exercise.
“All of us owe a duty as leaders of our people at least, to be sure that we have confidence in the electoral body so, that at the end of the day, assist the electoral body to succeed. And I think the message is very clear to everybody because, without our participation, without our cooperation, INEC itself cannot be successful,” he said.
