Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega does not want Nigerians to be disappointed in 2015. He has therefore, said they should not expect perfect elections.
Speaking at an audience with the United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle at the INEC headquarters, Abuja, he said as election umpire, INEC will only out in its very best but may be not be good enough.
Jega, briefed his guest on the various measures being put in plece to ensure free, fair and credible election, saying voters registration is a continuous process.
According to him, “We are not promising a perfect election in 2015 but we are confident that we will do our best. We have taken some steps to achieve this, for instance staff training in collaboration with development partners, strategic plans, and reorganized staff. We are planning a retreat to finalize the timetable for 2015.
“We are still on the continuous voters register and have held series of meetings with security agencies, CSOs and development partners ahead of 2015. While it is the responsibility of INEC to organize civic and other registration awareness, the commission faces challenges of funding as well.
“It is our responsibility under the Electoral Act to do civil education and even political education generally.
“It has always been challenging because the resources available to discharge that responsibility are usually insufficient, given the enormity of the task of dealing with a large illiterate population and to get them really understand what to do not only during voting but the larger issues of costing good candidates and so on.
“So there is a lot of things the Civil Society Organizations ( CSOs) can do.”
The US Ambassador in his remarks, assured of his country’s support.
He said, “I have been here for two and half months and I want to come over and pay my respect for the Chairman of Nigeria’s election commission because as I have stated clearly in some of my public comments, as Nigerians move to elections next year, my government and the people of United States stand with the people of Nigeria as they move towards a peaceful and transparent election which the Nigerian people deserve.
“I have to introduce myself and some of my team to INEC. Obviously, we will work very closely towards the US support for this election.”
Entwistle also spoke on funding, stressing the need for INEC to be properly funded. He however said the US would assist INEC through technical funding.
He said, “The funding of INEC is a Nigerian matter and that of the National Assembly. But we are looking at a way we can help INEC through different technical funds and so on.
“In any election campaign, obviously freedom of speech is very important. But in all countries in the world including my own country, politicians have a responsibility to be responsible in what they say. In talking about the issues, they should be very fair in what they say.
“Any comment by anybody, talking about democracies all over the world that will flare up ethnic tensions, promote violence and engage in unfair criticism of the process is very unfortunate and it is not acceptable.
“We just met inside to decide what to do and focus on things like polling the capabilities of INEC, perhaps supporting indigenous Nigerians and observer groups. Very soon, we will get back to you with the details.
On the Nigerian government’s position on anti-gay marriage, he had this to say, “The issue of same sex marriage is very controversial all over the world, including my country where 17 states out of 50 have considered it.
“Some are saying it is not legal. The issue that we see and I am speaking as a friend of Nigeria (as I read the Bill because I am not a lawyer), it looks to me that it puts significant restrictions in the Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Expression and in my opinion especially in advanced democracies, once government begins to say something in these areas, freedom no longer apply.
“It seems to me that such is a very worrisome precedent.”
