By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
With 79 days to the 2023 general election, the Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony has warned the staff that there will be zero tolerance for infractions in the upcoming exercise.
She also echoed the stand of the INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu that there will be no going back on the deployment of technological devices like Bio-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and its components in the conduct of the 2023 general election.
Oriaran-Anthony stated this in her acceptance speech after she was sworn-in for her second term in office as the Secretary to the Commission at a brief ceremony held at INEC Conference Room, Abuja on Wednesday.
According to her the 2023 general election will be a watershed in the annals of elections in Nigeria hence she demands that over 16,000 staff of the Commission will be required to discharge their duties without blemishes as there will be no room for infractions.
Said she: “Every staff of the Commission understands the vision of the Commission as far as 2023 General Election is concerned. Yes, we all know that it is no longer business as usual and that the staff must understand that there is a new Commission and this Commission is the one that has zero tolerance for infractions”.
Speaking further she said: “This election, the Commission is not going back on the deployment of technology; Bio-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), is in the law and we are guided by the Provisions of the law”.
Commission’s Scribe however said that the staff members would work to ensure that the technologies to be deployed for the elections are successful for other nations to emulate.
Said she: “I wish to state that the Commission is focused to deliver an election that is driven by technology, BVAS and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). I want to state that the staff of this Commission shall be galvanized to work in support of this commission’s policies.
“To ensure that not only do we succeed in the application of these technology innovations, but to exile in them. So that other Election Management Bodies (EMBs) can come and learn from us.”
Meanwhile, National Commissioner Mohammed Kudu Haruna who represented INEC Chairman at the ceremony said the Secretary to the Commission’s work is well cut out for her.
According to him: “in this run up to the 2023 general election, there are alot of work to do and her office is like the heartbeat, the engine room of the Commission. We trust her to do a good job which she is known for the Commission to accomplish its mandate of delivering free, fair credible and inclusive polls in 2023”.
Oriaran-Anthony was appointed as the Secretary to the Commission on December 6, 2018 and reappointed few weeks ago, the first person to be so appointed. She joined the Commission in 1990, as a Public Affairs Officer.
She holds a first degree in Education and a Masters in Public Communications and Public Relations.