INEC releases guidelines for Delta rerun election

Despite protests by stakeholders against the use by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the old voter’s register for the conduct of the Delta State governorship rerun election, the commission has insisted it would use the old register for the election and urged the parties to be prepared for it onThursday, January 6.

The commission, in a statement yesterday, signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Emmanuel Umenga unfolded the guidelines for the election and disclosed that
the accreditation of registered voters was to commence at 9.00 a.m. and end at 12.00 p.m.

According to the new guidelines issued by INEC and signed by the Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, only voters waiting in the queue at the various polling units at 12 noon shall be accredited but that “any voter coming after 12 noon shall not be accredited.”
In the guidelines, as contained in the statement, a permanent voters’ card or temporary voter’s card only shall be acceptable for accreditation and voting.

The guidelines explained that once accredited voters had queued up, they would be counted and their number loudly announced to the hearing of all present by the presiding officer. “Also, where the total number of votes cast for the candidate exceeds the total number of people accredited to vote at the polling unit, after thorough verification, such a result shall be nullified. “The new guidelines directed that: “Where the result is nullified, endorse form EC8A for the polling unit will read as follows: ‘Result Cancelled’ and immediately will announce the nullification of the result to those present.”

The commission then charged the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Delta State to consider the governorship rerun election as “a very important national assignment, which calls for seriousness of purpose, honesty and integrity.” The INEC chairman was quoted as asking the REC to act his part well and ensure a free, fair and credible election. He also appealed to the security agencies to do all to guarantee adequate security before, during and after the election, while assuring that logistics would be adequately provided and deployed on time.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had prevailed to no avail on the commission to postpone the election and carry out the new voters’ registration billed for January 15 and deploy it for use in the state for the rerun election. Other stakeholders equally protested that the old voters’ register would encourage rigging of the election because it was not reliable.

Prof. Jega had explained that the new voter’s register would not meet up with the three months time frame given by the Election Appeal Tribunal within which to conduct the rerun election because the new register might not be ready until March 2.
Source: the sun.

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