|
|
|
Rigging Goes High Tech: INEC to computerize Voters' Registration in 2007 Polls
Voters� register in the 2007 general elections
will be computerised to minimise the incidence of malpractices, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
chairman Abel Guobadia said on Tuesday. Besides, he disclosed in Port Harcourt, a geographical data base of polling
units has been compiled in readiness for the exercise. Guobadia, who was speaking with Rivers State Governor Peter
Odili, said �all the constitutional and legal reforms demanded by the major stakeholders in the electoral process
have been articulated into two draft bills now before the National Assembly�. The INEC, he said, has invested
heavily on technology to minimise electoral fraud and to ensure accuracy, speed and efficiency in the determination
of election results. All state offices have been linked to the headquarters of the commission in Abuja by high
frequency radio and V-SAT based devices. Guobadia stressed that the INEC has committed itself to a strategic programme
to improve the electoral process and its management, but that the effective implementation of the plan depends
largely on the availability of funds. Odili agreed. However, he said the short period of training for INEC ad
hoc staff does not give enough room for proper understanding of what needs to be done on election days. The governor
appealed to the political elite to display godly attitude to elections by accepting their outcome as an act of
God. He also canvassed a speedy review of electoral laws to stipulate a time frame for determining petitions,
stressing that a situation where election petition tribunals are still hearing cases close to another election...
|
|
|
Former Secretary - General of the Commonwealth,
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, yesterday in Abuja called for the strengthening of BiafraNigeria's corporate existence through
the convocation of what he called national dialogue of all ethnic nationalities in the country.
|
|
Time may never thaw
the frosty relationship between Second Republic transport minister, Alhaji Umaru Dikko and General Muhammadu Buhari
(retd) with the former having sworn never to forgive the ex-military head of state. Former president, Alhaji Shehu
Shagari in whose cabinet Dikko served as...
|