Lesotho electoral body understudies INEC
A team from the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho Monday commenced a four day study tour of Nigeria’s election management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The team was received on by the chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and members of his management team at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Led by Dr Letholetsang Ntsike, the Director of Election, the team from the South African kingdom were in the country on a learning tour to acquire new knowledge and information as well as collecting data.
She said the country choose Nigeria as a role model in election management “because of her demonstrated success, relevant experience in election management in Africa, the credibility of the electoral institution, among others”.
Ntsike said the team expected to have first hand information from INEC on effective election conduct and analytical solution to electoral problems.
According to her, the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho was established in 1998 and has over the years taken significant efforts to develop its electoral process but there was little success, which necessitated a restructure of the commission through assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
She added that the commission sought assistance also from the European Union to develop its staff.
“We’ve come to INEC to further develop a more robust operation”, she said.
Responding, INEC chairman, Prof Yakubu appreciated the visitors for their preference for Nigeria as role model to strengthen its electoral system.
He said the visit was as a result of a discussion he had with the leader of the Lesotho electoral body at the recent conference on usage of technology in Abuja.
According to him, he was approached by the head of delegation who told him that the Lesotho election commission will be coming to understudy the Nigerian electoral body.
He told the visitors that INEC has developed Strategic Plan and Strategic Programme of Action to cover elections in the country till 2021.
As a result of the plan, he said”we are able to know when elections will hold in foreseeable future”.
He assured the visitors that “whatever you require by way of collaboration to make an adequate plan for successful election, INEC will surely give you”.
