Group Advocates Extension of Jega’S Tenure
A civil society group, Face-Pam, has called for the extension of Professor Attahiru Jega’s tenure as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Its Project Coordinator, Mr. Mathias Yake, speaking on Tuesday at a town hall meeting with electoral stakeholders in Yola, Adamawa State, said that Jega, deserved a tenure extension for bringing innovations in INEC.
He said that the innovations, including the Permanent Voter’s Card Readers, were to address the problems of elections and consequences in Nigeria.
He said that, although, INEC had demonstrated its commitment to the conduct of the general election, all stakeholders must play their part to achieve the same objective.
He advised political parties to sensitise their supporters to adjust to the new innovations meant to ensure peaceful, credible, free and fair elections. “If there is any public official that deserves a tenure extension in this country, it is Jega.
“The innovations in the INEC, clearly indicate that we will witness a remarkable achievement in our electoral process, because credible, free and fair elections will, actually, mitigate election violence, especially, in the North East”, Yake said.
A representative of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mrs. Ruth Liga, said that the party had held several workshops with youths and women to sensitise them against electoral violence.
Liga urged INEC to ensure a flawless general election, adding that such would prevent post-election violence.
The meeting was attended by representatives of security agencies, political parties,
religious leaders and the media.
