July 01, (THEWILL) – YIAGA AFRICA, a pro-democracy, elections monitoring non-governmental organisation, has urged the Plateau State Independent Election Commission to ensure that the elections it conducts pass an electoral integrity test.
Speaking during an advocacy visit to the PLASIEC headquarters in Jos, the Executive Director of YIAGA AFRICA, Barrister Samson Itodo, said that as much as he congratulates the newly appointed members of the commission on their appointments, they should work to not only hold elections as at when due but also make sure that every election they conduct is transparent and acceptable to the people.
Itodo said a situation where some states’ independent electoral commissions declare results while elections are still going on with voters in the queues is unacceptable and undemocratic especially since such results do not reflect the will of the people and their aspirations.
According to the YIAGA Executive Director, PLASIEC and other States, electoral commissions should ensure that all elections they conduct are credible, noting that electoral credibility means popular participation in the election process culminating in massive turnout of voters on election day, counting the votes as cast by the voters and declaring the result that captures how the people voted and who they voted for.
Itodo also said YIAGA AFRICA supports the establishment and continued existence of states’ independent electoral commissions and at the same time rejects calls in some high places canvassing the scrapping of the state electoral bodies, saying scrapping the state electoral bodies contradicts the objective of autonomy for the local government system.
Although a situation where the state independent elections commission conducts elections and only the party in power wins all the seats is suspicious, objectionable, and condemnable, he said the state electoral commissions should exist to reduce the workload of the INEC which is already crying of system overload.
According to Itodo, what needs to be done is to put a framework for the funding and staffing of the states’ election commissions to enable them to have genuine independence, noting that this will enhance the position and ability to deliver free, fair, and credible elections.
Chairman of the Plateau State Independent Commission, Plangji Cishak, who welcomed the Executive Director and Board members of YIAGA AFRICA to the Commission expressed the willingness of the present PLASIEC, as constituted, to live above board, by conducting elections that will allay the fears and suspicions in certain quarters by being truly inclusive, participatory, and capture and reflect the interests of the people.
About the Author
