Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kogi State Chapter in partnership with Search for Common Ground has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discipline any staff found to have betrayed public trust during the November 16 governorship election.
This was the position of the paper submitted by the State Chairman of NUJ, Alhaji Momohjimoh Adiza to Kogi INEC Resident Electoral Commission, Professor James Apam during Kogi Media Peace Work in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Kogi Media Peace Day was implemented by the Nigerian Union of Journalists Kogi State Chapter in partnership with Search for Common Ground and it was aimed at electoral violence mitigation for the November 16 off-cycle governorship election in the state.
The Chairman who was represented by the secretary of the union, Alhaji Ademu Seidu, noted that they were in INEC office because the commission is responsible for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
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He noted that they have come to asked that the leadership of INEC function independently, free from external control and influence.
According to the union, INEC should display openness and transparency in all their activities and in its relationship with all stakeholders.
“We charged INEC staff and ad-hoc staff to be professional and neutral in the discharged of their responsibility before, during and after the election day.
“They should be sincere in handling election results at all level, returning and declaring the right candidates or winners of the elections by respecting people’s choice,” they pleaded.
The NUJ Chairman opined that the relevant stakeholders should ensure that they all abide by codes of conduct and ethics of the exercise as enshrined in the electoral acts 2015 as amended.
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