INEC, 30 political parties agree to change electoral rules

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday met with the national chairmen and secretaries of the 30 registered political parties on measures that would be taken to reform the country’s electoral process.

The team at the meeting also discussed the idea of proposing a second look at the current electoral guideline to allow for simultaneous accreditation and voting.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, while addressing the political parties in his maiden consultative meeting since the swearing-in of the commission under his leadership sought the parties’ permission to the guidelines for adopting the simultaneous accreditation and voting at polling units.

Yakubu, who assured the political parties of equal treatment by the commission, lamented the poor adherence to peace pacts, the inability to punish electoral of-fenders by the commission, and inconclusive elections.

While he states that all political parties have equal status, he assured the parties of the commission’s continued neutrality, noting that INEC will remain an unbiased election management body.

The 2015 General Election guidelines, provides that accreditation ends by 1pm after which eligible voters are required to wait around the vicinity for 30 minutes before the commencement of voting.

The Authority