LAGOS – Prof. Peter Okebukola and some academics has given kudos to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its organisation and conduct of the March 28 polls.
They said that the Saturday’s voting was a remarkable improvement when compared to past elections since the commencement of the Fourth Republic in 1999.
Prof. Peter Okebukola said that God heard the prayers of well-meaning Nigerians for peaceful polls in a text message to newsmen.
The former Executive Secretary of the National universities Commission (NUC) lauded INEC for playing its part with diligence, forthrightness and nationalism.
‘’Nigerians await the results to be announced by INEC and count further on God’s blessings for a prosperous Nigeria.
‘’Our democracy is inching forward,’’ Okebukola said.
Also, Dr Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, the Deputy Dean of Student Affairs, University of Lagos, said that INEC performed well in the organisation of the polls and in the security strategy put in place.
He, however, said that INEC still needed to improve on making polling materials available at polling units on time on election days.
‘’A review of the logistics strategy is necessary to make the April 11 voting to be successful.
‘’INEC must give special attentions to polling units where the card readers did not function as expected and where voting materials were lacking at last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly polls.
‘’It is, however, not good enough that up till noon of March 30, INEC had not declared all the results of elections held on Saturday ,’’ he said.
Similarly, a political scientist, Dr Adewale Yagboyaju, applauded the resilience, patience and perseverance of the Nigerian electorate.
Yagboyaju, a senior lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, said that Nigerians had demonstrated that they wanted democracy to grow by their conduct at last Saturday’s polls.
He said INEC had improved tremendously over the previous elections with the way and manner it conducted this year’s presidential and national assembly elections.
‘’Although much work still needs to be done to eradicate challenges that disenfranchised some intending voters; such as the malfunctioning of some card readers, missing names on the voters’ register.
‘’By and large, the conduct of the voters is a victory for democracy and Nigerians despite the scourging heat, rain and other discomfort ,’’ he said.