BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & OSCARLINE ONWUEMENYI
CHAIRMAN of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and two other state governors yesterday in Abuja, asked Nigerians to use the April polls to demostrate the people’s power  currently taking place in North Africa and other parts of the Arab world.

This came as the chairman of the electoral umpire assured that the commission would not disappoint Nigerians in conducting a free, fair and transparent election.

At the opening of the 10th National delegates conference of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, other governors who tasked Nigerians to ensure that credible, responsible and responsive people that would meet their expectations were Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Chief Timipreye Silva of Bayelsa State.

According to INEC chairman: “We want to do our best to ensure that the current electoral commission is impartial, non-partisan, and creates a level-playing field for everybody. We will also ensure that everybody does the right thing. We will obey the law and work within the legal framework. This will begin the foundation of doing things right in our countryt and we are committed to that.

“Our ability to do a voters’ registration, inspite of the challenges, as a result of the collaboration we have had with stakeholders, including labour, is an uindication of our commitment. This partnership will continue to be strengthened in order to achieve the desired result.

“Nigerian people have begun to have confidence in the electoral processes as evidenced in the large turnout of 68 million people during the voter registration .

“As we move towards April election, everybody must be involved, come out to vote and ensure that their votes count in the election of credible  leaders for our country. I want to reassure you that we will never do anything, given our antecedent in the labour movement, to make you feel ashamed of what we do.

We will always do our best to make you proud of what we do for our country.”

On his part, Comrade Oshiomhole, warned that Egypt and Tripoli were not very far from Nigeria where the people’s power was currently sweeping away authoritarian governments, urging Nigerians to use the opportunity of the April Polls to drive away oppressive governments and politicians that had retard the development for the nation  and compounded the poverty level.

He called called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of INEC to remove all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who presided over states where elections were  massively rigged and annulled by the courts, saying that Jega needs to have RECs that can be trusted to uphold the vision and objective of conducting credible elections.

Comrade Oshiomhole who is the immediate past president of NLC, said: “The President has said that no one should rig for him, but people who have made election rigging their business would still do so, in spite of the warning. Jega needs more than two eyes and ears to preside over these elections,” he said.

On the revenue review, Oshiomhole reiterated that it is unfair that FG gets 42.6% of income while 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the 774 Local Governments get to share 47.4%. He added that most of the development takes place in the states and the LGs.

“NNPC must be made more accountable, they should let the country know how much crude they produce and export and be open about where the subsidies go. They cannot spend money that has not been appropriated,” he added.

Minister of Labour & Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu who represented President Jonathan at the conference, said government has budgeted N50b for employment generation in the 2011 budget.

He called on the congress to utilize its huge numbers to ensure that every vote counts in the upcoming elections, as a means of contributing to national development.

“President Jonathan has already proven in many ways that he is worker friendly and committed to raising standards of living of Nigerians. He will do more in the next dispensation” he said.

Jega in his goodwill message said Nigerians are starting to gain confidence in the electoral system which was showcased by the recent registration of  62 million Nigerians in the voters registration exercise.

He reassured Nigerians that the commission was working hard at remaining impartial, unbiased and non-partisan with a commitment to provide a level playing field for all contestants.

“We are committed to obeying the law, and we would ensure that all participants and contestants obey it too. This is the foundation of doing things right in Nigeria,” he added.

Present at the opening ceremony was Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Bayelsa Governor Timipre Slyva, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega and some representatives of international organisations.

Elections into the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC would hold on Thursday. Current President, Abdulwahed Omar is re-contesting unopposed.