Daniel Ior
19 September 2004
Makurdi — Participants at the just concluded two-day seminar organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which held in Makurdi have called for the introduction of Electronic Voting Device in the next general elections to be held in the country.
They also called for the establishment of special election malpractices tribunal, to try electoral offenders.
The participants said experiences of the 2003 and other electoral experiences have shown clearly that Nigerians are likely to have a credible election only if they electoral process is brought under an electronic device, to carry out automatic recording of votes.
The participants of the seminar, which was attended by the INEC boss Dr. Abel Guobadia, also called for the review of the funding structure of the electoral body sayiong "INEC should draw its fund from the consolidated revenue of the federation to enhance its independence and operations."
A communique drawn at the end of the seminar also called for the review of the 2002 Electoral Act, to remove inherent ambiguities that impede the smooth running of the body.
It similarly decried the attitude of political elites in the country and advised that those in political authority should use such positions to enhance service and good governance.
The communique further condemned the use of military personnel during elections and called for a halt to the ugly trend. Rather it suggested that the use of Police and State security personnel should be strenghtened.
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