Openness key to improved electoral process – Yakubu

By Emeka Nze

Abuja

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has attributed the Commission’s successes in the conduct of elections in recent times to its “dedication and openness to constructive criticisms from stakeholders and transparency in its processes.”
“There is nothing that the Commission is hiding and the more open and transparent our processes are, the more open we engage with the stakeholders and the better for the system,” he said.
He stated this yesterday at an interactive meeting with a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), comprising the Enough Is Enough (EIE), the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA) and Connected Development (CODE) at the Commission’s headquarters.
He said the civil society “represents a very important stakeholder in the electoral system,” stressing that “no one can succeed alone in this business of free and credible elections.”
The INEC boss added that “we succeed together and God forbid, if there are failures, then we will together share in the blame.”
Yakubu also said continuous engagement with CSOs, especially in the light of their international elections observation missions, would greatly improve the work of the Commission through experience-sharing.
He said the Commission would deploy the mechanism in future elections and once satisfied, it would be deployed in the 2019 general elections.
Leader of the delegation, Mrs. Yemi Ademulegun, of EIE, earlier, in her remarks, said their visit was to share ideas with the Commission and to listen to how the CSOs could assist the Commission as the 2019 general elections approached.
The CSOs commended the Commission on the accuracy of the Anambra governorship election result, as well as the provision of magnifying glasses to aid eligible voters living with albinism.

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