AS Nigerians go to the polls to elect their National Assembly representatives today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised those who have no business with election venues to stay clear or risk arrest and prosecution.
In these categories are people who did not register as voters and those who engaged in double or multiple registrations.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, while addressing the nation yesterday said the commission would collaborate with security agencies to ensure that those caught violating the instructions, either by multiple registrations or underaged who come to the polling units, are arrested and prosecuted.
Reading from a prepared text entitled "We can't afford to fail," Jega said today's election should provide the chance for Nigeria to get it right as a nation. "It is incumbent upon all of us to join hands together to conduct elections that are free, fair and credible. Bringing about that successfully is virtually important to the future of our nation, therefore we must not fail and we must get it right," he said.
On the part of INEC, Jega said the commission had worked tirelessly to put infrastructure, people and procedures in place.
His words: "We have prepared adequately in terms of logistics, the training of our staff and in terms of effective liaison with security agencies to provide security before, during and after elections.
"Besides, we have recruited over 400,000 ad-hoc staff, thereby ensuring an average of three officials per polling unit and a number of supervisory officials. Moreover, we are doing our best to ensure that within 48 hours, the results are announced. This is the target timeline we are working on, in-spite of the fact that Nigeria is a very vast country with many difficult terrains."
He also said the commission would deploy electronics surveillance technology to help it monitor activities in strategic areas. Though the exercise would not cover all parts of the country, he was optimistic that with time, it would scale up.
Describing the task of attaining free, fair and credible elections as a shared responsibility between INEC and other stakeholders, Jega said the commission had made sure that it mitigated factors that would prevent Nigerian citizens from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote.
He said: " Though this is principally our duty as a commission, it is not exclusively a task of INEC, it is a shared task. With shared democracy comes shared responsibility. If Nigeria is to get it right with elections, all Nigerians-voters, candidates and INEC officials-must do their part in ensuring the success of the process.
"Just as we have shared responsibility with Nigerians to ensure free, fair and credible elections, we also have placed a sacred trust in the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) to assist our great country in conducting elections. These committed young men and women should be commended and encouraged, because the work they do is a patriotic duty of a tremendous importance to the nation.
"As the primary polling unit personnel, their service will ensure that we hold true to the promise of democracy during our elections. They have essential jobs to do. Your work is a patriotic duty of tremendous importance to the nation."
For political parties and their candidates, Jega reminded them that the nation had several means through which they could offer their services to their country. "We should, therefore not view elected office as the be all and end all of public service. We should not see these elections as a -do-or-die affair.
"As aspirants to lead our country, it is incumbent upon you to conduct yourselves in ways that set an example for constructive and congenial political discourse and contestation in the common interest of Nigeria. Please urge your supporters to be peaceful and non-violent and to pursue peaceful means of resolving disputes."
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has urged Nigerian political candidates to put a stop to continuing violence on the eve of national polls.
"Words alone are not enough. Politicians must demonstrate that they are serious about putting an end to the clashes between supporters," Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Africa, Tawanda Hondora said.
According to him, "the violence is causing immense damage to the country and its institutions. Politicians need to immediately take responsibility for their actions and rein in their supporters before the elections dissolve into chaos."
"We receive consistent reports that politicians, both candidates and those in office, instigate political violence, despite their statements to the contrary."
Hondora spoke as the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Oyo State yesterday called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim to beam its searchlight on the state being a violent prone state.
They also appealed to the electorate not to be discouraged by the various pre-election violence by coming out en-masse to exercise their civic right.
At a media briefing, which was jointly addressed by the President, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, Rev Felix Alaba Job and the Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, they urged the electorate not to play into the hands of politicians by boycotting the polls.
Meanwhile, 40 Civil Societies Organisation (CSOs), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the National Association (NACL) have called on the police and other security agencies to be on red alert to forestall any act of violence during voting.
They also urged the electorate, politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the exercise in order to have violence-free polls.
The groups gave the charge at two separate occasions organized in Abuja to deliberate over the state of the nation ahead of the general elections, which begin today. Speaking on behalf of the 40 CSOs during a press conference in Abuja, the Executive Director of Centre for Democracy and Development, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim and the Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre [PLAC], Clement Nwankwo said members of civil society are worried about increasing wave of violence, which has characterized elections campaign across the country. Ibrahim and Nwankwo warned that if the spate of violence was left unchecked, it could undermine the credibility of the exercise.
Also speaking at a special lecture session organized by NACL towards a credible 2011 Polls, Reverend Father George Ehusani and the Chairman of the Abuja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association [NBA], Mazi Afam Osuigwe also expressed concern over the "unprecedented orgy of violence" that has engulfed the country ahead of the 2011 polls, stating that it portended grave danger for the survival of democracy in the country.
Source: We Must Get It Right This Time, Says Jega (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43484:we-must-get-it-right-this-time-says-jega&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)