Lands Minister chides INEC on Registration Machines

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to fashion out a way of ensuring an easier process of registering voters in the on –going voters registration exercise.

Chief Essien spoke shortly after registering at his home constituency polling unit in Nta Isip-Ikot Ibiok of Eket Central ward 2 last weekend.

Accompanied by the PDP ward II Central Chairman, Mr. Bassey David and the Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Essien Ndueso, the Minister said the rigorous process if not improved may deny several eligible voters the privilege of voting.

“I have just completed the exercise in my ward, ward 2 Eket central and I have found that it is a slow and laborious process to register through the INEC system; and I would advise that INEC should re-examine the system and ensure that it works and is faster than the way it is presently.”

He however expressed optimism that given time, the INEC officials will master the machines and show mark of improvements.

While calling on all eligible voters to go out en-mass to get registered, he re-assured on the resolve of the Federal Government to conduct a credible election where every vote will count in the April general elections.

Essien noted that there were enough indications that the forthcoming general elections would witness massive participation as the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral process was improving.

He said that the interests shown by Nigerians indicate that they believe in the principle of one man one vote advocated by the federal government and INEC.

He said the just concluded PDP primaries were internal democracy was greatly upheld, have proved to everyone that the government is committed to transparent, free and fair elections.

 
On the governorship re-run PDP primaries, Chief Essien said it was a mere formality since the entire state had earlier showered supports and endorsements on Chief Godswill Akpabio, owing to his lofty programmes in the state.

Chief Essien said that it was very obvious that the other governorship aspirants were pretenders who knew they stood no chance against Governor Akpabio.

On allegations that some legislature aspirants who were defeated in the primaries were in Abuja to upturn the results, he said that he was not aware. “As a believer in democratic process, I cannot be in support of imposition, the Minister concluded.