March 9 Polls: Group Tasks INEC On Lapses

Eniola Olayemi

Kimpact Development Initiatives (KDI), an NGO, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address some of the lapses encountered during the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Mr Bukola Idowu, the Executive Director, KDI, and Coordinator, Southwest Hub of Nigerian Election Violence Report (NEVR) made this known on Monday in Osogbo.

Idowu, who was speaking ahead of the March 9 Governorship and National Assembly elections, said, “despite INEC’s success in conducting the presidential and national assembly elections, the late arrival of sensitive materials to polling units remains one of the challenges that must be tackled in the coming gubernatorial election.”

He said that issues relating to logistic supplies, Smart Card Readers, conduct of electoral officers, and the safety of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should be addressed if the March 9 elections were to be successfully conducted.

He called on relevant stakeholders to work closely with the electoral umpire for the success of the elections.

“We urge relevant stakeholders to support INEC in the coming March 9 elections in order to achieve success without any hitches,” he said.

The coordinator praised security agencies for ensuring the safety of lives and properties of Nigerians during the presidential and national assembly elections.

He called for the deployment of more security operatives to polling units to safeguard the lives of voters and sensitive election materials.

He also called on the electorate to eschew any act that could lead to electoral violence before, during and after the March 9 polls.