INEC has joker for 2019 polls – Yakubu

Th e Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday revealed that it has a joker in new technology in the conduct of the 2019 general elections, but would not disclose it to Nigerians yet. INEC Chair, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, spoke at the second annual conference of the InterParty Advisory Council of Nigeria in Abuja. He assured that “no election result will be announced either at the state offi ces or headquarter before the conduct of the elections. All election results will continue to refl ect the will of the Nigerian people.”

He said: “Th ere are issues and there are challenges not only in Nigeria, but worldwide. Only a few days ago, all the chairmen of electoral commissions from the Commonwealth met at the University of Cambridge in the UK, and I had testimonies from my colleagues, the chairmen of electoral commissions. It does not come so badly in Nigeria perhaps because we are moving on the same page. “We will continue to deepen the deployment of technology in the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

I will not, however, disclose to the general public what we are going to do in the run up to the 2019 general elections because I guess that there are people listening to me, so that they don’t fi nd a way round what INEC is doing.” Continuing, he said: “Th e Commission will continue to approach the responsibility with courage and will never fail. Whoever wins at the ballot box becomes the person so elected.

Parties are critical to democracy and our law is very clear that no one will contest election in Nigeria unless sponsored by a political party. We don’t have independent candidate yet. “We have 45 registered political parties and as at last week, 103 applications were received from political associations seeking registration and I am sure that more would have been received.” While thanking the IPAC for organising the event, the INEC chair urged all political parties to learn how to work together to promote democracy in Nigeria, saying “the Commission has been meeting with all political parties to see that democracy is maintained.”

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