By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor
LAGOS—CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday, said that anyone caught manipulating or abetting manipulation of the 2011 polls would be prosecuted.

Jega who was speaking at a policy dialogue with the Business Community in Lagos, said: “We have taken measures to prosecute election offenders and deal with executive lawlessness. Anybody, no matter how highly placed, will be dealt with if found wanting.”

He said the clampdown on riggers had started with the ongoing prosecution of an official apprehended during a recent bye-election in Enugu State, adding that the 2011 polls would be different because “the Electoral Act gives INEC the power to prosecute election offenders.”

Jega who delivered a lecture entitled: “Free and Fair Elections: Who has Greater Responsibility – Citizens or INEC?” at the dialogue organised by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, outlined measures the INEC was taking to ensure credible polls.
Recent stealing of DDC machines

The INEC chairman who condemned the recent stealing of Direct Data Capture machines at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, said the machines had been recovered by the security agencies but the commission was yet to take delivery of them.

He stated that even if the machines were not recovered, the theft would not affect the polls, adding: “The machines carry INEC logo. The software has security to prevent anybody from using the machines. Those who stole the machines cannot use them for illegal registration because they are programmed for different polling units across the country and each machine can only be used for the specific polling unit it is meant for and there are 120,000 polling units in the country.”

The stolen DDC machines were part of the first consignment of 6,500 machines that arrived the country. Jega said that the machines came in pallets and only one pallet containing 20 DDC machines was stolen.

The INEC chief assured that preparations for the January 15 – 29, 2011 voters’ registration exercise were on course, adding that adequate men and materials would be available to bring the registration as close as possible to all registrable Nigerians within the two-week period.

He said the commission had learnt from past mistakes and would plug the holes this time, adding that the software had been tested in Abuja and the states and that it takes about five minutes to register a voter.

Jega, who restated that perfect elections might not be attained in 2011, however, assured that his team was committed to raising the bar on credibility of polls to make resort to election tribunals and courts a futile exercise.

Theme of the dialogue

On the theme of the dialogue, Jega said the responsibility for credible polls fell on the shoulders of all Nigerians and stakeholders, stressing: “The responsibility is not that of INEC alone. It is not a responsibility that can be discharged by one individual, agency or institution. It is a collective responsibility.”

He asked for support of the private sector, to add value to the process, noting:  “Recently, we faced the problem of storage of materials. We consulted the private sector to see if they have warehouses or containers we could buy at a cheaper cost and the response was tremendous. We got 200 containers free of charge. We will open call centres and we are going to use SMS, we need vendors to do it. What are the communication companies going to do? We need helicopters and speed boats to reach certain difficult terrains.

“We have about 439 four-wheel drive vehicles but there are 774 local government areas. Many of the 120,000 polling units are in open spaces. There is no fund for canopies and sheds for these places. Can the private sector assist to improve it and add value to it?”

Stressing the challenges electoral officers had in the past to access difficult terrains, especially in an area at the Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State, Jega said that some electoral officers confessed that because of the difficulty in climbing the hilly terrain, they handed the electoral materials to youths in the area to handle the exercises. He assured that measures would taken to access such terrains this time.

Mr. Atedo Peterside, who chaired the event and former Special Duties and Information Minister and NESG Director-General, Mr. Frank Nweke, assured the INEC chief of the private sector’s support.