Jega to unveil INEC's 2015 plan Wednesday

By The Citizen

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, will on Wednesday unveil the commission's Strategic Plan for 2015 elections and other programmes.

As a prelude to the presentation, a retreat was held for top directors and administrative secretaries of the commission at the weekend in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. It was a closed-door session where the commission's strategic plans on 2015 polls and other issues were ratified.

It was learnt that political parties and civil society organisations were allowed to make input into the plan.

According to findings, the Strategic Plan is expected to cover 2012 to 2016.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: 'INEC chairman will on Wednesday unveil the Strategic Plan through a public presentation. Before INEC arrived at the final copy, the draft was made available to critical stakeholders.

'The Uyo meeting was called to keep all directors and administrative secretaries abreast of the final copy of the Strategic Plan.

'In the plan, which will run from 2012 to 2016, the 2015 elections fall within that cycle. As the implementers of the plan, the retreat was also organised for the directors and administrative secretaries to enable them know the expectations of INEC management and how they can come up with 'doable actions'.

'The objectives of the Strategic Plan are to put a sound management in place, conduct credible and unassailable elections in 2015 and make INEC the best Electoral Management Body (EMB) in Africa.

'With the plan, we hope INEC will be on a sound footing to organise free and fair elections. We decided to roll over the policy over an election cycle to 2016 to prove that the vision of the present management is to have a sustainable EMB for the nation.'

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman Mr Kayode Idowu confirmed the development to The Nation.

He said: 'All relevant stakeholders, such as the National Assembly and civil society organisations (CSOs), have made input into the Strategic Plan.

'The target is to achieve the vision of the commission to become the best EMB in Africa.'

Although the Strategic Plan was kept under wraps at press time, Prof Jega had hinted of the contents when he received a delegation of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in 2012 with 2015 poll as a priority.

Jega said: 'We are picking up for 2015. We have done a strategic plan as well as the reorganisation as we move towards the general elections in 2015. Hopefully, by the first week of December, we will have a stakeholders' meeting to validate the strategic plan. This is because we are looking forward to being the best in Africa.' (The Nation)