Mobilise participation in voter registration, REC tells political parties
NAN-H-66
INEC
By Bassey Bassey
Uyo, Sept. 12, 2017 (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised political parties in Akwa Ibom to mobilise eligible citizens to participate in ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr Mike Igini, gave the advice on Tuesday in Uyo in his maiden interactive meeting with registered political parties operating in the state.
Igini, who assumed duty about a week ago, said that so far, a total of 101, 099 persons had registered in the state since the commencement of CVR.
The exercise started at the 31 local government offices of INEC in the state in April, 2017.
Igini also disclosed that a total of 20, 315 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were still uncollected by their owners in the state.
“Please, I enjoin the political parties in the state to mobilise the people to get registered in the continuous voter registration.
“This is the time for us to mobilise our people to register – those who just reach the age of 18 and those who never registered before.
“This is essential to the 2019 elections. It is the will of the people that will prevail under my watch,” he said.
He said that the session with the political parties showed the high premium he placed on parties as foremost stakeholders in a democracy.
Igini said that INEC had evolved some innovations, which would be tested in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra later in the year.
“Democracy is inconceivable without political parties, so as the umpire, we have the responsibility to do what we ought to.
“The political parties have to trust us and as umpire we must earn that trust,” he said.
He promised that the “bitter’’ experience of 2011 elections in Akwa Ibom, where houses, vehicles and other property were burnt and lives lost, would not repeat itself.
“Our responsibility is to provide a level-playing field for all candidates contesting the election; we will conduct election that is free, fair, credible and acceptable.
“I want to assure you that you will have an umpire that you can trust. We will partner you but not in partisanship,” the REC stated.
Responding, the Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Mr Lawrence Udoh, commended the resident commissioner for the meeting.
Udoh, who is Chairman of Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP) in the state, assured that political parties in the state would cooperate to have credible elections in 2019.
He appealed to INEC to provide funding for Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state as provided in the Electoral Law.
No fewer than 27 registered political parties, out of 33 operating in the state, attended the meeting. (NAN)
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