ABUJA – Independent National Electoral Commission has been enjoined to improve on the quality of fraud proof Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and their Readers for improved election conducts in the Nigeria.
This was contained in a Communique issued at the end of A One-Day Retreat For Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) and INEC Press Corps held at Access Hotel, Kaduna, on August 18, 2015.
The Retreat further canvassed early setting up of Standard Registration Area Centres (RACs); and that INEC should be more open to the media; while, Media houses should empower their journalists and give them adequate tools for operational efficiency.
They further advocated more security beef-up at the Polling Units (PUs) to ensure adequate media coverage; and that all media houses should be treated equally in the discharge of their duties by INEC state offices; while Media practitioners should give equal coverage to all candidates and not be selective.
The Communique also read that “INEC should carry out special registration for lepers considering their social status; Internet facilities at National Collation Centre should be reactivated; PAOs should make it a duty to provide hard copies of election results to the media; and More seminars and workshops should be organized for PAOs and journalists ahead of the 2019 elections”.
The one day lessons learnt retreat which was convoked by INEC for the PAOs and the journalists however observed that the PVC and Smart Card Readers (SCRs) have enhanced the credibility of the 2015 general elections by ensuring the one man one vote dictum.
They also observed that the Creation of Registration Area Centres (RACs) had ensured timely arrival of electoral materials and the setting up of Polling Units (PUs) in some states; while Colour Coding of Ballot Papers ensured security of sensitive materials and discouraged the movement of these materials to wrong constituencies.
Also in the observation, the POAs and the Journalists were elated that Media arrangement was quiet good for 2015 elections; and that there was “no sensational reportage from the media on election activities”; while “Voter Education (VE) at the state levels was adequate and effective”.
The meeting however regretted that Journalists found it difficult to access INEC officials; and that the Media failed to report on the plight of lepers in the 2015 elections; as “Lepers could not vote because they did not have PVCs”.
They further noted that “some journalists were not accredited because they were not from recognized media houses; while Social media were partisan, flawed and dished out misinformation to the public.
Declaring the meeting open Acting Chairman of INEC, Amina Bala Zakari, who was represented by the Director of Human Resources Management, Musa H. Adamu, commended the PAOs and the INEC Press Corps for their contributions to the successes recorded in the 2015 general elections.
She hinged “successful conduct of the exercise” on “proper information dissemination and accurate reportage of the election by the PAOs/Press, stressing, “never in the history of elections in Nigeria has the Nigerian Press been on the same page with the electoral Commission.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, Director, Voters Education Publicity, Gender and Civil Society Liason recalled that similar retreat had been convoked before the 2015 general elections to discuss on the ways we could ensure that robust publicity and reportage was given to the election to ensure that Nigerians were adequately mobilized to participate in the general elections in an informed manner.
“Having given in our best and success recorded, it is however very important that we come together once again to review what worked for us; why; what more could be done; what could be done differently; and what next we must do, not only to keep on informing Nigerians all they need to know about the electoral process, but to mobilize them towards the pockets of governorship elections ahead, hence this retreat.
Mr. Uzzi further noted that methodology adopted for the retreat was geared towards making it practical and participatory, “to ensure that we give out the best to enrich the system”.
Moreso, Mr. Eze Uche, the representative of the UNDP/DGD commended INEC and the Press for the positive reportage of the electoral process.
Participants were broken into four (4) syndicate groups to address: Accreditation/National Collation Centre/Media Centre; Reportage of the Election; EMB/Media Relationship; and Reformed/Innovations
Each syndicate group was tasked to identify what was done right and why, what was done wrong and why. What could be done differently and finally what next.
