The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed for partnership of election stakeholders to achieve a successful, fair and credible in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, made the appeal in Enugu on Friday while officially issuing the Notice of Election and commencement of electoral activities for 2019 General Elections to stakeholders.
The stakeholders present at the issuing of the notice of election included: political parties, the media, traditional rulers, business community, transport unions, security agencies and electorates.
Ononamadu said that the essence of issuing out the notice on time was to allow stakeholders in the electoral process to prepare early enough; adding that with the recent move, the issue of discrepancies in the timetable had been laid to rest.
According to him, with the notice of election, the coast is clear for INEC to conduct a successful 2019 General Election.
“In terms of administrative plans, we are ready for the election. We have notified the people especially our stakeholders that the dice is cast.
“INEC is committed as a matter of patriotism to better the electoral process come 2019; even as our staff had braced-up for greater dedication and more work.
“INEC offices are open to the public including the media to seek information on any aspect of the commission’s preparation as well as make valid inquires and complaints,’’ he said.
Ononamadu noted that INEC recently shifted the date for the closure of the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) to Aug. 30 to accommodate more Nigerians willing to register.
On internal preparation of the Enugu State INEC office, he said that virtually all staff including cleaners in the commission had been given training on the electoral process, how registration is done and other specialty of different departments.
“We have up-graded our ICT centre and made it more conducive for staff to spend hours working there; built a drivers office lot and run a 24-hour hotline centre,’’he said.
Responding, Comrade Austin Okonkwo, who spoke on behalf of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), commended INEC for the progress made in the ongoing CVR in the state as well as releasing the election time-table on time.
“With early preparation and consultation with critical stakeholders, I know we are going to have a free, fair and credible elections in 2019,’’ Okonkwo said.
Speaking, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, lauded the REC for his innovation and hard work to ensure that more residents register in the ongoing CVR and collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
Agubuzu, who lauded INEC for extending the CVR for two weeks, urged residents of the state that are eligible but have not registered to use the two weeks of grace to do that as well as ensure they collect their PVCs.
“We have seen the hard work and innovation the REC, Ononamadu, had brought to Enugu State; thus, making the state to make much progress in the ongoing CVR registration and PVCs collection.
“I appeal to our people to vote on the D-Day and ensure that credible leaders continue to lead the state and nation for us to get the development we deserve,’’ he said.
The highpoints of the event was the unveiling of the time-table posters and its pasting in strategic locations and billboards of the commission.
In the 2019 General Elections Time-table, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on Feb. 16, 2019; while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will be held on March 2.
