An induction retreat for Lagos residents who are electoral commissioners was organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of ongoing efforts to improve organizational capacity for better service delivery. The INEC reviewed performance, examined its appraisal procedures, talked about new innovation, engaged with service providers, and interfaced with new frontiers.Residents Electoral Commissioners (RECS) from around the nation, along with ten recently appointed RECS and other commission staff members, attended the retreat.
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In his remarks, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stated that this is the commission’s fifth retreat in the previous two years and that it is another retreat to induct 10 new RECS, nine of whom will be sworn in on December 12, 2023, and one on January 30, 2024.
Professor Mahmood stated that “today’s retreat is holding against the background of forthcoming governorship elections in Edo State in the next 81 days and Ondo State in the 137 days”Additionally, there are four state constituencies—Khana II in Rivers State, Bagwai/Shanono in Kano State, Zaria Kewaye in Kaduna State, and Ganye in Adamawa State—and five federal constituencies—the Babura/Garki Federal Constituency of Jigawa State and four state constituencies. With the June 2018 inauguration of the national and state assemblies, there have been 14 such elections in all, including these noteworthy bye-elections.
After that, the Chairman urged the new RECs to concentrate on getting more familiar with the Commission’s policies and procedures. As for the veterans, he said they should use their privileged field experience to help address issues that keep coming up, such as pre- and post-election litigation, operational problems, particularly with logistics, voter education process improvements, strategic communication problems, fighting misinformation and fake news, and promoting inclusivity in the electoral process. Other issues included voter registration, assigning voters to polling places, the use of technology from pre-election activities to Election Day procedures, and political party problems, mostly resulting from a leadership crisis and party management and their own code of conduct.
According to Prof. Ayobami Salami, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, electoral activities are particularly difficult in Nigeria. The RECS’s role is to supervise and counsel the commission’s activities in the state in compliance with the commission’s guidelines and the electoral act. As such, they should all take the retreat seriously in order to provide a transparent and legitimate electoral process.
