INEC chairman reads riot act to staff on Anambra guber

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu warned staff to shun all acts of complacency and remain conscientious for the successful conduct of the November 18, Anambra governorship election.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi quoted the  Prof Mahmood Yakubu as warning staff of INEC  at Awka that the Commission would not hesitate to show the way out to any erring staff that breaches the law.

According to the statement, Prof Yakubu reminded the officers that INEC has been proactive on many areas of staff motivation, capacity building, training, payment of salaries and urged them to showcase greater commitment to the discharge of their duties towards the achievement of free, fair and transparent elections.

The INEC Chairman described the upcoming Anambra governorship election as one of the first season election in the state in which a governorship election and a state constituency bye-election in Idemili North will hold simultaneously.

It would be recalled that INEC had scheduled the conduct of the Idemili North state constituency bye-election for November 18, 2017 same date with the governorship election and directed that two ballot boxes would be placed in all polling units within the affected constituency to separately accommodate votes for the two elections.

Prof Yakubu was in Awka for the stakeholder meeting coming up tomorrowTuesday 14, November 2017. He will be joined by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) INEC Anambra state, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, has acknowledged the good working relationship that exists between his office and staff of INEC Anambra State, saying ‘I have an exciting working relationship with the staff’.

Dr Orji made the statement while delivering an opening remark during the visit by the Chairman, INEC Prof. Mahmood Yakubu ahead Tuesday 14, November 2017 Election Stakeholders’ meeting in Awka.

REC Orji who said INEC Anambra State has a total number of 556 staff also called on the Chairman INEC to continue to deliver on demands raised on behalf of the staff.

Also staffers of the INEC Anambra state has restated commitment to discharging credible electoral duties during the upcoming Anambra governorship election and assured  Yakubu to sleep with both eyes closed as they were determined to deliver on the mandate of free, fair and credible polls.

The staffers, however, urged security agencies to display greater professionalism in the sustenance of peace and security during the polls.

The Electoral Officer, Aguata INEC Local Government office, Mr Sunday Nwaegbe who gave the assurance while responding on behalf of Electoral Officers during the visit of the Chairman INEC to Anambra State said all they needed was sufficient protection by the law enforcement agencies.

‘All we need is sufficient protection during the exercise’, said he.

In chorus, the staff gave a resounding assurances that all will be well with the elections.

Leave a Reply