By Golok Nanmwa
Stakeholders in Plateau state on Monday advised the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure timely preparation towards a more credible general election in 2023.
They gave the advice at a Post-Election Community Dialogue Meeting organised by the Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Right (CAJR) in Jos.
Some of the stakeholders who identified poor preparation on the part of INEC, failure of smart card readers, vote buying, under-age voting among other as major hiccups faced during the just concluded general polls, and called for a total overhaul of the electoral system.
Steve Aluko, a public affairs analyst, called on the electoral umpire to begin building a more sustain synergy with relevant organisations and engage critical stakeholders at all levels to ensure free, fair and credible polls come 2023.
Aluko also called for a total reform of the Electoral Law in order to address some loopholes that often characterizes the electoral process.
The analyst also lamented late preparation by INEC and called for timely approval and release of budgetary allocation to the commission to enable it to prepare adequately for the polls.
“For us to have credible and successful elections in 2023 there must be a total overhaul of the entire electoral system in Nigeria.
“INEC as an electoral umpire must begin to build and sustain strong synergy with organisations, both government and private, and critical stakeholders at different levels to ensure peaceful and successful polls.
“Government must ensure timely approval and release of the commission’s budgetary allocation to enable it to prepare adequately for the task of conducting free, fair and credible elections in the country
“So, the right time for INEC to prepare for 2023 elections is now, not “three months” to the conduct of the polls,” Aluko advised.
On his part, Mr Bulus Shanding, Programme Officer, Plateau Chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JNAPWDs), called for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the electoral process.
Shanding commended INEC for modalities put in place to ensure the PWDs participated in the just-concluded polls but decried that the arrangements were inadequate, a situation that hindered many PWDs from performing their civic responsibilities.
“No doubt INEC did well in giving the PWDs first class attention during the just concluded general elections compared to previous ones, but it was not enough as most of our members were disenfranchised.
“So, my call on INEC is to ensure the PWDs are carried along during the 2023 general elections because they are also part and parcel of the society and have the right to vote and be voted for,” he said.
Also speaking at the occasion Miss. Chudung Sheku of the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA), called on INEC, political parties and all critical stakeholders to engage on an aggressive electoral education, lamenting that it was poorly done before the just concluded polls.
“There was poor sensitisation of citizens before the 2019 general elections and that has affected the smooth conduct of the polls.
“So, I want to call on INEC to ensure timely and adequate sensitisation of people before the 2023 polls,” he advised.
She also called on the security agencies to begin training its personnel on professionalism towards ensuring peaceful and successful polls in 2023.
Speaking earlier, in her address of welcome, Miss Etty Peter, the Executive Director of CAJR, said the meeting aimed at reviewing the challenges faced during the 2019 general elections, with a view of proffering possible solutions.
“We are stakeholders in our various communities and orgnaisations, so, we are here to brainstorm on our experiences during the just concluded polls in Plateau,” she said.
