The Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed optimism that it would not disappoint residents in the conduct of the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory Area Council election scheduled for February 12, and the 2023 general elections.
INEC’s National Commissioner for North Central, Sani Mohammed Adamu, made this known during an INEC FCT election monitoring and support red zone implementer’s workshop, in Abuja.
This workshop was organised by INEC in collaboration with the European Center for Electoral Support, ECES and the Planning, Monitoring and Strategic Committee, PSMC, to deliberate, map-out modalities and bring to light some of the weaknesses of INEC, in view of the FCT area council polls and the 2023 general elections.
Delivering his remarks, the National Commissioner for North Central said that the 2022, February 12th FCT area council election would be a positive “model”, “signpost” and “recipe” for which the 2023 general elections would bask.
While commending the national Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu for the successful elections he has carried out in the country, assured Nigerians that the elections would hold peacefully and transparently, also stating that the commission is well equipped and Hi- tech ready for the success of elections.
In his words: “The professor, Mohamood Yakubu led INEC has done enormously well in conducting elections successfully in Nigeria.
“There’s been a lot of improvement. I like to believe that this coming election in the FCT is very important to all of us.
“It is a signpost to 2023. It is a recipe for 2023. We take this election very seriously. This is the FCT. The Anambra election was held successfully; technology was deployed. The forth coming election is going to be conducted, we believe successfully, transparently.
“It is going to be inclusive because the same technology will be deployed and I want to assure the nation the election will hold peacefully and successfully.
“It is very important for us at this very critical juncture to asses and re-assess our level of preparedness. The essence of coming here today with veterans like professor Kunna, Professor Ayela, the commission is in safe hands with their vast experience in the business of conducting elections.
“INEC rely heavily on professionals that are profoundly known to have engineered, nutured credible election in Nigeria.
“I want to assure the nation that we can not afford for any reason to fail this nation. We have the huge confidence and we have the huge capacity to deliver.
“We trust all of you from the lowest member of staff to the highest we are all prepared. We are adequately equipped to successfully conduct the council election in the FCT, while we do all this preparations.
“We are also well garnered and empowered to conduct the 2023 elections by the grace of God.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of Planning, Monitoring and Strategic Committee, PMSC, Honourable Chairman, Abdulahi Zuru, pointed that the Commission has engaged experts on election risks management for the FCT council election and the 2023 general elections respectively.
He said: “we have assembled some experts on election risk management to engage with us and our stakeholders and share their expertise and skills on the following carefully chosen topics.
“The EMSC Data Collection reporting tools for the red zone, the INEC security and not a notification system, the items and I believe this will also talk about the helmet that allows us to monitor threats on individuals or facilities. And then, of course, the MSC communications strategy at election day operations.
“However, we must keep in mind that when electoral risks are not understood and addressed, they can undermine the credibility of the process, our results, it heals with possible devastating violence.”
“Let me re-echo the honorable chairman of INEC by reminding us that the FCT election is unique in the sense that it is the only local government level election being conducted by INEC. And of course, INEC is the utmost election management body in the country, in the West African sub region, and indeed, in the whole of Africa. We simply cannot afford to perform in the conduct of this election.
“Therefore, the Honorable chairman has declared it is election as the Commission’s election, and he repeatedly have mentioned this at different forum accordingly. On behalf of the chairman, we wish to assure you that the Commission will deploy all necessary human material and managerial resources to ensure that the election is free, fair, credible, peaceful, inclusive, and transparent.
“It will be a model for the forthcoming state and federal constituency by-elections, the Ekiti and Osun governorship election, and indeed, the 20 general election”, he added.
On his side, the ECES project coordinator, Hauza Fassi-Fihr, asserted that it is needful for INEC to ensure that the FCT area council elections go transparently as it would serve as a picture of what the 2023 elections would look like.
The ECES project Coordinator, while commending INEC’s National Chairman on his effort in expanding the process which led to the increase of about 120,000 polling units to now up to more than 176,000 polling units across the country, tasked the commission on transparency and inclusivity against the 2023 general elections
He, furthermore, charged the national chairman to demonstrate strong commitment towards comprehensive scientific and evidence based monitoring of the electoral process.
He said: “This workshop provides an appropriate platform to assess the level of the Commission’s preparedness ahead of the polls. “Incidentally, it is taking place almost one year ahead of the general election 2023.
“The commission had noted that this is the second important election where INEC will be deploying the beavers. In a similar notes, the FCT election is also the second important election after the governorship in Anambra governorship election in Anambra where voters can experience voting in new polling units. Open successful completion of its review and expansion process which led to the increase from about 120,000 polling units to now up to more than 176,000 polling units across the country. An effort geared towards ensuring all voters have better access to polling units close to their place of residence.
“For all these reasons, the FCT election is particularly important for I like to draw lessons for future elections, including that of off cycle governorship elections in equity and are shown later this year, and the 2023 general elections.
“In this context, the EMSC is very instrumental being an innovative election management system that monitors critical occurrence along the electoral cycle. The phase the monitoring of the processes that it offers is a critical factor of success.
“It helps election managers adjust to evolving uncertain contexts and take appropriate action to avoid glitches and delays leading to successful outcomes.
“I’m sure that EMSC tool is playing its role in helping the ionic identifying gaps, risks and lapses in the process, and is useful in addressing them.
“In addition to this important role of identifying issues ahead of time, monitoring also ensures accountability and transparency in the electoral process, thereby inspiring stakeholders confidence and acceptability of outcomes.
“It is therefore commendable to note that Ionic has demonstrated strong commitment towards comprehensive scientific and evidence based monitoring of the electoral process through the innovative tool of the EMSC.
“It’s my hope that this red zone implementers workshop will be useful for the election managers convened here to critically assess the status of preparations, while identifying necessary actions for a hitch free exercise.”
