Election Tribunals: We Must Ensure Uninterrupted Dispensation Of Justice – INEC Chairman

Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),

Amina Bala Zakari has called on Resident Electoral Commissioner's (RECs)

to remain impartial and committed to the delivery of qualitative electoral

services to the country.
She made the call yesterday at a meeting with RECs, at the Commission's

headquarters in Abuja.
The Acting Chairman called for caution, noting that the Commission was

experiencing challenges in the management of the various cases before the

election petition tribunals.
“We shall continue to uphold our role as independent, non-partisan and an

unbiased umpire. We must ensure that we act according to the rules and

remain above board, as well as cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure

free, fair and un-interrupted dispensation of justice,” she said.

Speaking on the agenda of the meeting, Amina Zakari said:  “Our meeting

today is designed to enable us focus and re-strategize on key issues of

the electoral process. It is obvious that the recommendations from the Uyo

retreat have been far-reaching. We need to understudy those reports with a

view to identifying suitable modalities for the implementation of the

recommendations therein”.
The recommendations which required urgent attention, Mrs. Zakari said,

included:
·      Continuous Voter Registration and Permanent Voter Cards' distribution,

·      Improved communication strategies with internal and external

stakeholders
·      Ad-hoc staff matters (recruitment, training and payment)

·      Legal reforms among others
On the forthcoming Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship elections, she challenged

the RECs and staff of the Commission to raise the bar and ensure the

elections met world-class standards. Said she: “it is important to begin

to look towards the necessary mechanisms that would positively impact on

the conduct of these exercises. We have already set good records; but

should still improve to make the elections a world class exercise”.

The Acting Chairman used the opportunity to announce the confirmation of

former Secretary of INEC, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama, as REC by the Senate,

and stressed the need to secure electioneering materials and INEC offices

nationwide.
Also at the meeting, the official presentation of the 2015 Election Report

was done by the Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Professor

Abubakar Momoh.
While making the presentation, Professor Momoh noted that the report was a

collective effort, with inputs from states which gave it the needed

cohesion. “It is not an attempt to idealize the 2015 general elections,

but a sober reflection of the realities of the electoral process”, he

said.
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