The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the newly reappointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to effectively use the years ahead of the 2023 general election to restructure the electoral body.
PDP’s advice was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ologbondiyan advised Yakubu to use the period to work out legislations and operational rules that would ensure a free, credible and all-inclusive electoral process.
He advised him to visit Ghana and U.S. to learn from their electoral bodies on how to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible general elections.
He further advised the INEC Chairman to take a cue from the Ghana electoral commission, which was making room for a more all-inclusive electoral process by starting special voting system to enable personnel of critical service providers to cast their ballots days ahead of the Dec. 7, election date.
The statement partly read: “The INEC Chairman should initiate processes and procedures that will guarantee prompt arrival of ballot materials, rapid accreditation and voting, instant transmission of results from polling units as well as seamless collation of figures.
“Our party demands Prof. Yakubu to improve on legislations that restrict the involvement of security agencies in voting and collation processes, check underage and alien voters, vote-buying, alteration of results and manipulation of voter register.
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“It is therefore instructive to restate that with the new appointment, Yakubu has been given an ample time and opportunity to redeem the image of the commission and give our nation a credible election.
“Credible election that will be devoid of the failures, disappointments, miscarriages and litigations.
“Our party urges the reappointed INEC Chairman to note that the 2023 general election will hugely impact on the fate of over 200 million Nigerians.
“As such, he must ensure that the nation does not go down in his hands.”
