The Independent National Electoral Commission is positive and focused to deliver better elections in 2015 in spite of the security challenges confronting the nation, especially the northern parts of the country.
This was contained in the daily bulletin of the commission released in Abuja on Thursday.
The bulletin quoted Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC Chairman, as expressing the optimism when Dr. Serah Sewall, the US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, led a delegation to the commission.
Jega said that the commission believed that the security agencies would overcome the challenges and provide an enabling environment for the commission to deliver better elections in 2015.
He said that the commission did not underestimate the security challenges facing the country.
He said: “INEC remains positive that with the efforts of the government and the support of development partners Nigeria should be able to substantially address the situation and create an environment conduce for credible elections.”
The chairman said that the commission was working under the assumption that it would conduct elections in all parts of Nigeria.
“As an Election Management Body, we will do our best relying on others, especially the security agencies, to do their best in terms of protecting the voting environment and mitigating conflicts,” he said.
Jega added that in spite of clamours for the commission to deploy Card Readers to authenticate and verify Permanent Voter Cards in the Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections, it would not do so.
The chairman said the commission would prefer to test pilot the Card Readers in bye-elections before the 2015 general elections.
“Using Card Readers during the two elections can generate unwanted controversy,” he said.
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