2019: INEC Raises Alarm Over Delay In Passage Of 2017 Budget
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday raised the alarm over delay in passage of the 2017 budget, saying it is adversely affecting its plan to acquire materials needed for the exercise most especially the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), which it order for but yet to take possession of.
The Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu spoke at a Civil Society Organisation Strategy Meeting to Review Post 2015 Elections organised by a group, Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG) held in Lagos.
Yakubu, who was represented by National Commissioner in Charge of Election and Party Monitoring, Professor Antonia Simbine said aside the delay, conflicting state priorities as well as the volatile foreign exchange market had negatively impacted on the work of the commission.
“Although INEC is now on first line charge, the delay in passing the budget and the envelope system being implemented in the face of recession and conflicting state priorities as well as the volatile foreign exchange market have negative impact on the work of the commission,” he said.
The INEC boss added that over seven million PVCs were yet to be collected blaming development on voter apathy in the country, saying the greatest challenges faced by the body was the general attitude of politicians that bordered on desperation for power and engagement in do- or- die politics.
“Perhaps the greatest challenge faced by any Election Management Body (EMB) is the general attitude of politicians. You will agree that here, there is acute desperation for power, eloquently captures in the dictum of ‘do or die’ politics. It is responsible for most other vices associated with the process, including violence (which often results to inconclusive elections) hate speeches, bribery and all forms of malpractices),” Yakubu.
He warned, “Unless and until there is attitudinal change and rejection of this mindset, our process is likely to be bedeviled by such negative and subversive tendencies.”
Yakubu, while listing other challenges to include security as experienced in Edo and Rivers states poll, inadequacy of key officials, among others, assured that the commission was poised to meet the expectations of Nigerians and the international community, which he said were high.
“Even in the face of these and other challenges, the expectations of Nigerians and the international community are high. We are conscious of our responsibility to meet these expectations. This is what has informed our approach thus far,” he said.
The INEC boss disclosed that measures to address the some of the problems include collapse of the voting system from separation of accreditation and voting to simultaneous accreditation and voting, teamwork and partnership with increased engagement of stakeholders such as CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, MDAs, EFCC, increased deployment of technology, year round nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), among others.
Speaking with newsmen, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ledum Mitee applauded the interactions noting that, “It is a conversation that should be holding regularly, it should be a continuous process.”
According to him, the challenge before the electoral commission and Nigerians in general was how to make the 2019 poll be an improvement on 2015 exercise, calling on INEC to address the perception the local populace had about its officials in order for the body to gain people’s confidence.
