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PREAMBLE
In
furtherance of its objective of ensuring
free, fair and credible elections,
recognising the need to subject its
internal structures, processes and plans
to close scrutiny; desirous of carrying
along all its personnel in the discharge
of the onerous responsibility and
conscious of its responsibilities and
obligations as an election management
body, the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) with the support of
International Foundation for Election
Systems (IFES) organised a two (2) day
retreat for National Commissioners and
Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs)
at the Amber Hotel, Tinapa, Calabar
between 16th and 19th of September 2010.
Having
extensively and critically deliberated
on the internal processes and external
dimensions affecting the whole electoral
process; and in particular the upcoming
Voter Registration exercise and the
General Elections in 2011, the
Commission observes as follows:
1. That
the task of conducting free, fair and
credible elections in 2011 is a
collective task for all Nigerians and
not the Commission alone. Therefore, the
Commission reiterates its commitment to
free and fair conduct of elections and
calls on all Stakeholders to join in the
task of achieving this objective.
2. That
there is the need to severely punish
electoral offenders to serve as
deterrent to others. Therefore, INEC
calls on the National Assembly to enact
a law for the establishment of an
Electoral Offences Tribunal.
3. Having
examined the Commission’s detailed
Action Plan for the voter registration
and elections, the Retreat noted that
the timeline for the implementation of
this Plan is very tight. Consequently,
the Commission shall endeavour to engage
all the relevant stakeholders with a
view to exploring all legal avenues for
extension of time to enable the
Commission to deliver on the aspirations
of Nigerians for a credible voters’
register and free, fair and credible
elections. Should this happen, May 29
2011 inauguration date must remain
sacrosanct.
4.
Political Parties should strictly adhere
to provisions of the Electoral Act 2010
and their Constitutions in the conduct
of their congresses, conventions and
primaries. The Commission shall ensure
strict compliance to such provisions.
5. The
Commission has developed an in-house
software which will be rigorously
field-tested before the commencement of
the registration exercise.
6. The
Commission calls upon all Stakeholders
to ensure that incidences of underaged
registration and other abnormalities are
detected and prevented during the
registration and display of Voters’
Register.
7. The
Commission expresses its profound
appreciation to all Nigerians for their
expressions of goodwill, support and
cooperation, which has inspired it to
continue to give its best to the success
of the upcoming Voters’ Registration and
Elections.
BEING
THE
FULL TEXT OF COMMUNIQUE OF THE TWO DAY
RETREAT OF THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL
ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) WITH
RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS HELD IN
AMBER HOTEL, TINAPA, CALABAR, CROSS
RIVER STATE
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