INEC Chair Gives Electoral Officers Freedom To Criticise 2019 Elections

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has urged all electoral officers to freely criticize the 2019 electoral process.

Yakubu, who said no democracy or electoral process is perfect, said criticism would improve the process.

Speaking at the opening of the post-2019 elections review meeting in Abuja which had 380 electoral officers (EO) from 19 states across the country present, the INEC chairman urged the electoral officers to come up with suggestions that could assist the commission in its performance, adding that whatever they say will not be held against them.

He said, “No democracy, no electoral process is perfect. Every democracy is work-in-progress. So, feel free to suggest, advice on all issues relating to the conduct of elections, on the whole gamut. And, you have the protection of the chairman that whatever you say will not be held against you,” Yakubu said.

“Criticisms on the elections would help to improve the country’s electoral process. Please, feel free to advise the commission. Where we need to be criticised or criticise ourselves, please do so. I consistently say that friends will criticise you, but your enemies will condemn you. But criticism is the basis to make any system work.

“Anything that anybody can say about the conduct of elections in Nigeria is secondary to the kind of information we are going to hear from those who truly conduct elections at levels that matter -the polling units.”