ONLY IMPLEMENTATION OF UWAIS REPORT CAN LEAD TO CREDIBLE ELECTIONS

Nigerians have been told to demand the full implementation of the Justice Muhammad Uwais Panel's report on electoral reforms if they are to witness a free, fair and credible elections in 2011.

Senior Special Adviser to the Edo State governor on Policy and Strategy, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, gave this advice in Benin yesterday at a press conference to herald the launching of 'one man one vote' campaign in Akoko-Edo Local Government Council this weekend According to him, only the qualified personnel and head of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC), appointed by National Judicial Council with input from the civil society can guarantee a free, fair and credible election next year.|

Noting that the role of security agencies could not be over emphasized, he said, 'if the police is corrupt or compromised, we cannot guarantee a credible poll. Nigerians must campaign for police reforms before electoral reforms.'

'For elections to be free and fair, the Nigerian Police must show leadership and non-partisan posture. If this is achieved, we would have recorded a milestone towards a credible electoral process in the country.'

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to be security conscious during and after elections in their constituencies just as he called on the electorate to report strange, unauthorized movement of persons, suspected thugs, and illegal movement of arms among others to the police, traditional rulers and other security agencies.

Mr. Akerele called on government at all levels to put in place strong macro and micro-economic framework for the empowerment of its citizens, saying that only this would guarantee credible elections in the country.