The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has expressed
satisfaction with the way candidates for elective positions in the 2019
polls have carried on campaigns since it kicked off last Sunday.
According to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, so far campaigns had been about policy issues rather than personalities.
He stated this on Wednesday after a meeting with Resident Electoral
Commissioners, RECs, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
“Campaign for the 2019 presidential election officially commenced on
Sunday, 18th November, 2018 as provided for by the Electoral Act in line
with our timetable and schedules of activities.
“The commission is committed to closely monitor the campaigns
pursuant to our statutory mandate and to ensure compliance with the
extant laws and regulations.
“We are pleased that the focus in the last few days since the
commencement of the campaigns have been on policies rather than
personalities. We sincerely hope it remains this way,” he said.
Speaking on other matters, the chairman said the meeting dwelt on the
progress made on the collection of outstanding Permanent Voters Cards
(PVCs) by citizens as well as new modalities for a more efficient
administration of the collection process.
He added that the meeting considered the recruitment and training of
election duty staff, discuss the ongoing review of the framework for
voting by internally displaced persons (IDPs), explore additional
assistive measures in support of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in
electoral process.
The chairman also regretted the loss of four of its staff in Kogi State and one in Edo State.
He said the commission would work with security agencies to ensure
the arrest and the prosecution of those involved in the attack on its
staff and vandalism of electoral materials at a polling unit in Kwara
State.