The Action Congress, AC, has challenged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to provide the required financial resources and the legal framework respectively to make it possible for INEC to organise successful general elections next year.

In a statement issued in Ilorin, yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said specifically that the Federal Government must urgently provide the N55 billion  to N72 billion which INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said would be needed to compile a fresh voters register for the critical elections.

It also said on its part, the National Assembly must provide the necessary amendments to the Electoral Act to facilitate the compilation of the fresh electoral register, which is the single most important requirement for the organisation of free, fair, credible and transparent polls next year.

AC said for a country that has $37 billion in Foreign Reserves and $3 billion in its Excess Crude Acount, N72 billion, which is less than $500 million, is but a very little price to pay for the organisation of successful polls next year and the consolidation of the country’s democracy.

“Is is not better to use part of the Excess Crude Account money for compiling a fresh register that will pave the way for successful polls than for the money to be shared out by state governors who will use it as a war chest to rig next year’s polls?” it queried.

“Let the Jonathan administration back up the President’s persistent assurance of organising credible polls next year by giving the much_needed resources to INEC so it can build a solid foundation for the 2011 elections by compiling a fresh voters’ register. Failure to provide the money required for that purpose will translate to setting up INEC to fail next year, and this will be a disaster for Nigeria,’’ the party said.

It also tasked the National Assembly to provide the legal framework by amending the necessary sections of the Electoral Act, especially Sections 10 (5) and 21.

“As our party has noted, the belated amendment of the Constitution, especially Sections 116 (House of Assembly), 132 (President) and 178 (Governors), to the effect that elections must hold between 120 and 150 days before the end of their tenures, has created huge problems for INEC and made it a fait accompli for the commission to organise the 2011 polls based on the hugely discredited Iwu’s voters’ register.