We will set standards with 2023 polls, INEC declares

The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, assured to utilise the 2023 general elections to set the standard for future polls.

Yakubu made the assurance in a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.

The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu

As part of its efforts to make this achievable, he offered RECs one week for the compilation and submission of inventory of all election materials in their custody, to allow the commission make better arrangements particularly where there were deficits.

The Chairman of INEC said, “As you are also aware, the commission is committed to deepening the culture of planning for elections. The current five-year plan covering the period 2017-2021 expires this year.

“For this reason, a committee involving the participation of some RECs was inaugurated a few weeks ago to review the Strategic Plan and the Strategic Programme of Action to cover the next cycle of five years from 2022-2026.

“The committee is making good progress. Its report should be submitted by the end of this month to enable the commission to engage stakeholders for its validation and subsequent implementation.

“I want to assure Nigerians that this will be accomplished long before the expiry of the current plan at the end of this year. As we continue to plan for the next general election, the RECs have been directed to compile and submit an inventory of all election materials in order to determine shortfalls and take early steps to ensure their adequacy and availability.

“Only a few states are still outstanding. I wish to remind the states that are yet to make their submissions to do so by the end of this week. This will enable us to address some of the logistics issues that have become a recurring decimal in the conduct of elections in the past.

“The 2023 general election must be different from all previous elections in terms of our preparations and readiness.”