A former Chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has
warned the commission to be monitoring volunteers during the 2019 elections.
He lamented that corrupt
politicians usually attempt to compromise lecturers, students and corps members
engaged for elections.
Jega said this on Thursday while
delivering a lecture titled: ‘Prospects and Challenges of Involving Volunteers
in Nigeria’s Electoral Process’ at a lecture organised in honour of the
immediate past Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Rahamon Bello.
He advised INEC to pay more
attention to the identification and selection of credible individuals and
security officers to bring about electoral integrity.
“In 2011, the Transition
Monitoring Group, a network of the CSOs and professional groups working on
elections, mobilised and deployed thousands of volunteers for elections
observation and gathering data for parallel results tabulation.
“However, it is worrisome that
some corrupt politicians are beginning to find creative ways to compromise
youth corps members and some students involved in election duties.
“Similarly, as the use of
academic staff as collation and returning officers has become predictable,
corrupt politicians are increasingly snooping around university campuses and
INEC offices, especially over governorship elections.
“They are also inducing lecturers
with money in the hope of compromising their role in result collation and
tabulation.
“So far, there is no evidence
that they have succeeded, but the tendency is increasing and it is of great
concern,” Jega said.
Meanwhile, Nigerian government
has appointed Jega and ex-Executive Secretary, National Universities
Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola, among those to review the country’s
university system.
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