Botched polls: INEC lost N4bn

ABUJA – CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday, summoned the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners for a meeting today at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.
Jega held a closed-door meeting with his national commissioners to strategize on next Saturday’s rescheduled National Assembly election.
This came as indications were that the postponed election might have cost the Commission some N4 billion in logistic deployment and allowances to the more than 400, 000 ad-hoc staff comprising mainly corps members.
The Commission, however, said it was not contemplating asking for more money from the Federal Government, even as it has so far been given almost N100 billion for the voters registration and the conduct of the election.
INEC’s board meeting, yesterday, comprised the Secretary of the Commission, Alhaji Kaugama and national commissioners.
A source close to the meeting told Vanguard that Jega had to beg the commissioners to handle tasks assigned to them to ensure the Commission did not repeat last Saturday’s failure.
Three legged general elections
Jega had, Sunday, announced the postponement of the three_legged general elections to start with the National Assembly on Saturday, April 9; Presidential on April 16 and Governorship/State Assemblies on April 26.
Details of the meeting include the fact that the Commission would formally report the contractor who failed to deliver the election materials on schedule to the appropriate security agents for sanctions and punishment for breach of contract in line with the contractual terms and agreement.
Vanguard also gathered that the INEC boss told the commissioners that the meeting was not for buck passing on what went wrong but to strategize on how to make a success of the rescheduled elections. He also reportedly said they needed to co-operate to compensate Nigerians on the embarrassment caused them with last Saturday’s failed election.
INEC chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Kayode Idowu, confirmed that since the contractual terms have been breached, “the contractors have to pay for the lapse.” He added: “We just don’t want to do media trial. But I can assure you that penalties will be applied.
Sanction will be enforced,” adding that members of the public deserved to know the defaulters and that their identities would be disclosed at the appropriate time.
In his reaction, INEC Director of Public Affairs, Emannuel Umenger, said that no sacrifice was too much. He said: “We were overwhelmed by show of supports that we should go ahead and do all, to conduct good election. Whatever cost will be in the best interest of the country. INEC doesn’t contemplate asking for more money.”
On the botched election, Umenger described it as an act of God, noting: “What happened is an act of God. Japan with all its sophisticated technology, they have been planning against tsunami but what happened now that they were caught napping. We had plan B but its’ just that it didn’t work. It was not sabotage, it is an act of God.”
The National Commissioner in charge of Information, Prince Solomon Soyebi also denied the involvement of any national commissioner in the diversion of INEC sensitive materials

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/botched-polls-inec-lost-n4bn/