Edo/Ondo 2020: INEC To Accredit Media, Observers Online

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday, announced that it would be conducting the accreditation of media and electoral observers via an online platform.

Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at a town hall meeting organized by YIAGA on ‘Fixing Nigerian elections’.

Yakubu said the body had learned from past experience of election conducted, which is why all political parties must file their nominations online.

“We have been deepening the usage of technology not only in management of electoral processes but processes that lead to elections.

“We also introduced the accreditation of observers online. The media will be accredited online and we said that parties must also submit their nominations online.

“Recall that before the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship election, we had so many litigations simply because the process of submission was manual.

“We learnt from the experience of what happened and insisted that all political parties must file their nominations online. We created a dedicated portal online. All the political parties have filed their nominations,” he said

According to him, there is need for electoral reforms in the country, but political parties are to follow the laid down laws and guidelines to ensure a good conduct.

In Yakubu’s words, “I hope that as part of the reform we need to introduce in this country, attention will focus on the conduct of the bye-election.

“While we appreciate the lawmakers and all those responsible that we reform our electoral process, from our experience as a commission, we realised that we need electoral reforms and legal reforms but so much actually depends on what the commission makes of its own independence rather than them drawing from statutorily provision.

“We will continue to ensure we do what we have to do courageously to ensure that we achieve the free, fair and credible election that we require.”

Alice Ajakaye