APPARENTLY to douse tension and reassure Nigerians that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not shirk its responsibilities, Chairman of the body, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Tuesday met with chieftains of the 25 registered political parties.
According to Jega, among the issues to be deliberated on were proposals for the review of guidelines and procedures, strategies for citizen sensitisation, and mobilisation for effective participation in election, strategies for continuous voter-registration and plans for constituency delineation.
With the exception of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), all parties' chairmen and secretaries attended the parley held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
In his opening address, Jega said the consultative meeting was in line with ongoing efforts to improve the transparency and credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2015 polls. This, he said, could only be achieved if there is mutual trust between INEC and stakeholders in the electoral process.
"Political parties are the most important stakeholders in the democratic and electoral processes," he noted.
"The best way to bring fundamental, remarkable reforms in the electoral process is to develop trust and confidence between the political parties and the election management body, and to have an open, transparent and credible partnership to drive the reform process," Jega added.
The Guardian