INEC is not a political party, its officials, not rival candidates ― Lagos REC

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it should not be seen as a Political Party or its officials as rival candidates.

The Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Sam Olumekun made this known during the INEC Lagos State, in collaboration with the Private Sector and Nigeria Policing Programme Stakeholders’ meeting, held yesterday in Lagos.

The Commissioner said that the Commission is not a political party and it has no candidate in any election managers.

“We should stop seeing INEC as a political party or its officials as rival candidates. We are not a political party and we have no candidate in any election managers.

“I am to assure you that our electoral processes have gone beyond the capacity of our own officials to manipulate.

“There is still the fixation that INEC officials are involved in deliberately perverting the processes and procedures for partisan considerations.

“Instead of approaching us with the evidence of any potential or actual infraction for remedial action in the interest of our democracy, some prefer press conferences in which the Commission and its officials are criticized and maligned.

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Meanwhile, The Commissioner charged political parties to pay serious attention to voter education in order to avoid a large number of void votes.

“It is important to say that a large number of void votes recorded in the past elections could be attributed to inadequate voter education.

“With a whopping number of 62 registered political parties in Lagos State, it has become absolutely necessary for the stakeholders especially the political parties pay serious attention to voter education.

“Voter education will enable their voters cast their ballots rightly in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking also, The Lagos state Commissioner Of Police, Edgal Imohimi said that all critical stakeholders in the state have a role to play in achieving a violence-free election in the State.

He added that violence will be shunned when these roles are being played effectively.

“If we want a free and fair, crisis-free elections in the State, everybody has a role to play, including the electoral umpire.

“It is the responsibility of politicians to call their party members to order to let them know that the era of politicking with violence is over.

“It is also the responsibility of the citizens to call their children and tell them not to be used as tools in causing mayhem during the elections,” The Commissioner said.

Imohimi, however, said that certain activities are being carried out to equip the preparedness of the security agencies in the state against the forthcoming elections.

“We have been updating the list of black spots and vulnerable location across the state and that’s why you see raiding across the state.

“We have increased marine patrol across waterways, geared towards avoiding incursion for threats across the state.

“In addition, the area patrol by our RRS will continue as we are doing watertight operations in order to ensure that peace thrives in the place and ensure thrall polling centres are adequately policed,” he added.