Independent observers to track election results- Jega
*22 persons facing trial for electoral offences
*stop swearing in of election winners with cases in tribunals – communiqué
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Austin Ogwuda and Evelyn Usman
CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has unveiled revolutionary measures to allow free conduct and flow of election results in the April elections.

JEGA

Already 22 persons, including electoral officials, are currently facing trial for offences committed during the January governorship re-run elections in Delta State, according to Prof. Jega at the just concluded National conference on Partnering the Police for free, fair and credible 2011 elections facilitated by Vanguard Newspapers, in Asaba.

As the conference attended by senior police officers, politicians and other major election stakeholders wound up yesterday, policemen were warned that they would be individually held responsible if found if found carrying out unlawful orders given them by either senior police officers or political office holders.

A 14 point communiqué issued at the end of the conference amongst others called for closer collaboration between the Police, INEC and the media in checking the violations of the nation’s electoral laws.

The communiqué also called for a review of the electoral act to stop the swearing in of election winners with cases pending in the tribunal. The communiqué also called for a rectification of the limitations arising from parts of the voiding of the Public Order Act.

*Jega unveils measures
Jega in a paper entitled ‘The imperatives of building confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system through efficient information and security management’ said results from any polling areas where ballot boxes are snatched would be cancelled and polling repeated under a free and fair atmosphere.

In the paper read by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC in Delta State, Dr. Gabriel Ada Jega said: “There is also the introduction of parallel observers who shall document election results independently and forward same to the Commission for comparative analysis.

“Others are the repeat of elections in any polling unit or ward where ballot papers and boxes were snatched, burnt or destroyed by hoodlums until a free and fair conduct is achieve no matter the length of period it takes the Commission to achieve the feat”.

“I can say it without fear of contradiction that the Commission has steadfastly and progressively introduced far-reaching measures to build confidence in the electoral process.

These include the introduction of radical and revolutionary electoral reforms such as the production of a credible voters register, new guidelines for the conduct of elections, accreditation of voters/announcement of the numbers accredited to the hearing of all present at a polling unit, announcement and pasting of election results at the polling units and the ban on government officials at all levels from parading the voting centers with security escorts.

Noting the determination of the commission to punish electoral offenders as deterrence to others, he said:
“As at the last count 22 people are undergoing trial. Their offences ranged from ballot box snatching, disruption of polls during the re-run elections and tempering with voter registration during the voter registration exercise etc. However, issues of security management should be addressed vigorously at both the national, state, local government area and community level and continually reviewed and re-assessed.”

“From INEC perspectives, the transparency of the new process of election we hope shall help to reduce threat to peace and violence thus the need for all to adapt to this new process”, he added.

Also at the session yesterday, police officers were charged to uphold their obligations to the law above human and political considerations. Mr. Frank Odita, a retired Commissioner of Police in response to enquires from some of the senior police officers in attendance told them that they would ultimately be held responsible if caught carrying out illegal instructions either given out by politicians or their superior police officers.

“If the DIG here for example gives you an illegal assignment and you are caught, it is not him but you who would be held liable,” Mr. Odita, erstwhile Force Public Relations Officers said.
*Stakeholders want collation centres relocated

Meanwhile, political stakeholders including senior Police officers at the conference called for the relocation of collation centres away from the local government secretariats.

Barrister Uche Okuku, Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN who gave vent to the plea of the political stakeholders submitted that parties who control local governments in the country would make the local government secretariats inhospitable if not inaccessible to opposition political parties during collation of election results. He thus called on the INEC to relocate the collation centres away from the local government secretariats as proposed to public schools accessible to all.

Also in his presentation yesterday, Barrister Ted- Iseghohi-Edwards a columnist with the Leadership Newspaper called for the amendment of section 81(1) of the Electoral to allow stringent punishment of political parties who violate the provisions of the law. He described the present laws as too lenient to deter infraction.

Yesterday’s session was attended by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Azubuko Udah, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, Mr. Tony Uranta, member of the Niger Delta Technical Committee, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Mamman Ibrahim Tsaase, among other senior officials of the nation’s security agencies and politicians from different political parties.