Senator-Elect Scores INEC High

The Senator-Elect, Lagos East Senatorial District, Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Ashafa has scored the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, high in the conduct of the two elections held so far.

“The conduct of 9 April poll was an evidence that reinforces the popular saying that, ‘where there is a will, there is always a way,’” said Ashafa.

Ashafa, who spoke after casting his vote during last Saturday’s presidential election at Ward F, polling unit 001 at Bogije, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, southwest Nigeria said “agreed, there are some pockets of irregularities here and there but such incidences are few and far in-between.

“Provided the same model of transparency and non-partisanship of the electoral officers is replicated in the remaining elections, INEC deserves a pat on the back.”

According to Ashafa “if we are able to sustain the current momentum, Nigeria will indeed have the moral compass to intervene or pass objective judgment on other African countries whose leaders have become despotic and whose leaders engage in self perpetuation.

“Without an iota of doubt, countries/states whose governments are democratically and transparently elected enjoy a high degree of political stability.”

He said the voter turn out so far was appreciable but could be better, adding that “there is clearly voter apathy as it concerns mistrust between the government and the governed, particularly as it relates to the centre and provision of adequate security at the polling stations.”

“The turnout at my ward, particularly my polling booth was reasonable; for instance 631 voters were accredited last week against 560 at the presidential polls.

“This shows the willingness of the people to be part of the electoral process that will choose their President. By now they are convinced that their votes will count.”

On security, Ashafa stated that regardless of a few challenges encountered, one would want to conclude that the security agents had performed above average.

“As we entrench the democratic principles, policing of votes solely depend on the voters. After being accredited, counted and voted, they should accompany the ballot boxes to the collation centres to make sure that the final result tallies with what has been originally written down at the polling stations.