The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said Nigeria may be
able to organize truly free, fair, credible and transparent
elections in the nearest future if the recent comments by
INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega reflect the thinking of the
electoral commission.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said three
issues stand out in comments credited to the INEC boss: that hooded security personnel would no longer be allowed
during elections, that the security paraphernalia in future
elections should be under the control of INEC and that the
Commission will use e-card readers for the 2015 general
elections.

It said if indeed the INEC boss meant what he said, then it is
a breakthrough of sorts in Nigeria’s long quest to hold
elections that are not only free, fair and transparent, but are
seen to be so by the local and international community.
APC however said it would hold Prof. Jega to his promises to
avoid a repeat of the situation in the past when promises
made by the electoral chief were not kept.

”During the voter’s registration exercise, Prof. Jega vowed
that anyone who engages in double or multiple registration
would be prosecuted. However, some parties who probably
had an advanced knowledge that his statement was an
empty threat apparently encouraged their members to
engage in double or multiple registration, thus gaining
undue advantage over others, yet they were never
prosecuted.

”Also, during the last Ekiti Governorship Election, Prof. Jega
announced that colour-coded ballot papers would be used
in different local governments to prevent election fraud, but
that never happened and no reason was given for the
failure. This is why we intend to hold Prof. Jega to every
word he said in connection with the key issues mentioned
above,” the party said.

APC recalled that before the Osun governorship election
earlier this month, the party warned that the use of hooded
security personnel would encourage hoodlums with access
to police or DSS uniforms to invade the state and perpetrate
mayhem in the name of providing security.

”Sadly, that is exactly what happened during the election. In
fact, media reports have said at least one person is now
being prosecuted after he and others were found wearing
black T-shirts with the inscription ‘Police’ in front and ‘DSS’
on its back during the Osun election. Is there any clearer
evidence that some of those who came to Osun in hoods
were actually fake security agents?” the party queried.

It also recalled that on May 26th, 2014, the APC issued a
statement in which it tasked INEC to immediately commence the process that will lead to the use of the e-card reader for the elections in Ekiti and Osun States, if indeed the electoral body is committed to ensuring that the polls are free, fair and transparent.

”If that advice had been heeded by INEC, perhaps the
allegations of electoral fraud, and the litigation following the
elections in both states, would not have arisen.

”As we said in the May 26th statement, ‘Impersonation,
multiple voting and endless altercations and associated
tension will be eliminated at the voting centres with the use
of e-card reader and not by any other means. Also, the e-
card reader will ensure the automatic recording of all
accredited voters with verified permanent voter’s cards in
such a way that does not lend itself to manipulation, thus
preventing the falsification of results at the collation
centres’,” APC said.

The party challenged INEC to put its money where its mouth
is by using October’s Governorship Election in Adamawa
State to test the measures that will ensure credible elections
in 2015, including barring hooded security personnel, taking
charge of the security men and women to be deployed for
the election and using e-card reader to forestall
electoral fraud.

Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Aug. 25th 2014