Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday fixed January 2015 as a possible date for the forthcoming general election. This was as it ruled out elections in Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa States because of the current state of emergency in those states.
INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega in a paper entitled “preparation and challenges of the 2015 general election” which he presented before the Senate Committee on INEC, said the commission would soon be ready for 2015 elections.
He said though the electoral Act as amended requires the commission to conclude the said election on or before April election , but insisted that the agency was working for January as the new date for the general election.
The INEC boss insisted that the Anambra governorship election was a ‘fluke told the forum yesterday that it would be wrong for anybody to use the exercise as a yard stick to measure the success or failure of the 2015 election. Prof. Jega said the supplementary election in Idemili local government area of Anambra state was accidental.
He said the commission has learnt some useful lessons from the governorship election and will be ready to improve on them in 2015 election. He said: “We can give the assurance tht preparations by INEC for the 2015 general election are proceeding in earnest, learning from the experience of 2011, especially regarding the need for early preparation, the commission has undertaken the task of fundamental restructuring and of the commission, established new policies to guide its work and embark on far reaching planning of its activities through a strategic plan and an election project plan”.
He said that some of the good plans by INEC to ensure a better election in 2015 may be hampered by inadequate funding. He said: “In preparing for the forthcoming general election, one guiding principle for the commission has been to make more cost effective and give Nigerians better value for money. Our estimate is that the cost of election per voter, is coming down in Nigeria and wwe project that for the 2015 election s, this would come further down by almost $1 from $8.8 in 2011 to $7.9 in 2015 representing 10 per cent drop.