INEC: Anambra mistake will not occur in Osun, Ekiti

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Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that it will improve on its election management this year.
Speaking specifically Wednesday in Abuja on the forth coming governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti state later this year, INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega said the commission was determined not to allow a repeat of the November 16 Anambra governorship election mistakes.
Speaking when he hosted the Ambassador of Netherlands to Nigeria, John C.M Groffen, at the commission’s headquarters, Jega acknowledged the various concerns raised about 2015, saying the commission had learnt lessons from previous elections hence it was poised not to repeat those mistakes.
According to him, “What happened in Anambra was unfortunate and it will not in any way represent what will happen in 2015. We learnt additional lessons from it and we are factoring it in our preparations for 2015.
“We will have two governorship elections this year and we are doing all possible to ensure they are conducted smoothly, freely and fairly. We have mapped out detailed plans from previous elections.”
INEC Chairman further said. “We are aware that stable nation, will lead to improved economic growth. Our job is to use electoral process to ensure that elections are conducted with credibility and add to political and economic stability of the country.
“I am pleased to inform you that prospects of the coming year are good because we have done extensive research and preparations since 2011. And we have made remarkable improvements into the process.
“As we move to 2015, we are confident that it will be much more better that 2011. Elections in Nigeria considering its size and complicity are very challenging but those challenges are not insurmountable. We have also learnt the hard way that sometimes in spite of our best efforts things happen which raise questions about our preparations.”
Jega also said that the Commission looks forward to conducting elections that will free, fair and credible.
He said “as far as we are concerned 2014 will be a busy year for INEC, full of activities, but we look forward to conducting elections that will bring very free, fair and credible. We are committed to ensuring that we lift the bar in conducting free and fair elections.”
He also urged Nigerians to join in the efforts towards ensuring credible elections in the country, saying that getting elections right in the country is a joint adventure of all stakeholders, including political parties, development partners etc, adding that they would strengthen such relationships ahead of 2015, which he said has added value to the commissions preparations