INEC recruits 15,000 ad hoc staff for Anambra election
By Enyim Enyim
Onoitsha – Ahead of the 2010 governorship election in Anambra state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recruited 15,000 ad hoc staff as part of its effort to ensure a free and fair election.
Resident electoral commissioner in the state, chief Rowland Uwa dropped the hint while addressing reporters on the preparation being made by the commission to ensure a credible and acceptable election was conducted next year.
He said the ad hoc staff were mainly drawn from the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) because the commission needed committed and dedicated personnel for election.
Uwa said so far the commission has registered 500,000 voters, adding that the exercise was still on going and would stop 120 days to the 2010 election.
“ We have continuous registration and we appeal to eligible voters to come and register for full participation in the democratic processâ€, he appealed.
He blamed the high level of aparthy in the state to lack of internal democracy in the political parties and the impact of god fatherism, and called on politicians and other stake holders to instil confidence in the people by observing the tenets of democracy.
To ensure free and fair election in the 2010 governorship poll, Uwa advised politicians to be watch dogs in all the 4,611 polling units by making sure that they had committed party agents, adding that they should equally sensitize the people to reduce the level of aparthy.
He said though the commission was preparing very well for the election the people of the state had a role to play by being prepared too, and charged community leaders and town union presidents to educate and enlighten the people in their respective areas.
