INEC to include corps members, academia in 2015 elections

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has disclosed that his commission would employ National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and academics in the voting and collation processes during the next general elections.

This, according to him, is necessary as the commission believes that these set of people are relatively less prone to political pressure.

He stated this at a lecture organised by the Sociology Department of the University of Lagos last week. He spoke on, “Stakeholders and electoral process in Nigeria.” Jega asserted that the aggressive attitude of Nigerian politicians, if left unchecked, will continually be an obstacle to the success of the electoral process notwithstanding the efforts of INEC hence the need for the transformation.

He also stressed his commitment towards a better 2015 election. The Canadian High Commissioner Mr. Perry Calderwood, who also addressed the audience expressed his confidence in a Prof. Jega led INEC to deliver credible elections in Nigeria.

Urging the youths to be proactive in the electoral process, He said Canadian government is committed towards electoral transformation and democratic consolidation in Nigeria.

The Vice- Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo and chairman of the occasion, Prof. John Obafunwa, expressed his gratitude to Prof. Jega for the lecture and said the inclusion of academia and corps members in the process would go a long way in curbing irregularities during the general election.

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