2019 elections most widely covered, says INEC chairman

*We’ll continue complying with court rulings – Okoye

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The 2019 general elections have been described as the most extensively covered event in Nigeria.

National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said this on Thursday in Abuja, at a meeting with media practitioners to review the role of journalists in the last general election.

He disclosed that a total number of 2, 131 journalists drawn from various parts of the country and abroad were accredited and effectively covered the three stages of elections nationwide.

The chairman said the commission accredited 1, 799 journalists from more than 150 domestic media organisations and 332 journalists from 52 foreign media organisations from different parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia to cover the 2019 general elections.

Prof. Yakubu said the purpose of the media review meeting is to re-examine the entire electoral process with a view to consolidating the successes and establishing a template that would address the challenges.

Addressing participants, he said “the commission wants to hear from you how processes can be improved upon from pre-election activities such as the registration of voters, conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates by political parties, campaigns (including election debates by candidates) to election day activities such as accreditation of voters, voting process (including more effective measures to stem vote buying), collation and declaration of results.

“Rather, the commission would like you to share your field experiences, observations and recommendations on all aspects of the election from logistics, election technology, security, media accreditation, coverage of the elections, adequacy and effectiveness of public enlightenment drive by the commission, access to information by the media, access to political parties and candidates as well as issues of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, hate speech and more.

“We look forward to your robust contributions and recommendations. The whole purpose of today’s meeting is how we can improve on processes and procedures for which you were not only reporters but observers and actively involved in several ways. Today, we will talk less and listen more to you.”

He said the commission has been inter-facing with stakeholders in the electoral process on daily basis since Monday while he promised Nigerians that INEC shall undertake a comprehensive review of the 2019 general elections with a view to learning the necessary lessons for improvement of future elections.

The commission appreciated the media for the useful contributions made towards making Nigeria’s electoral process better.

Meanwhile, the commission has assured of its readiness to comply with the superior jurisdiction of the courts in the determination of issues in the electoral process.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye at the occasion said that the commission will continue to be creative in the application and interpretation of its powers and mandate.

Okoye stressed that INEC will continue to exercise its powers in the overall interest of the electoral system and pledged that the commission’s guiding principle will remain what is right, just, constitutional and within the nation’s constitutional and legal mandate.

He said “we (INEC) will continue to comply with the superior jurisdiction of the courts in the determination of issues in the electoral process. We implore media managers and practitioners to continue to study and analyze issues relating to the constitutional and legal framework in the electoral process.

“Elections and the electoral process are complex and complicated, and its rules and procedures are not necessarily subject to the ordinary rules of the court.”