*Commission chairman unfolds plan to hold meeting with Ex-Head of State, Abdulsalami’s peace c’ttee next week

*170 recommendations to improve elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, ProfessorMahmood Yakubu, has said the Commission has learnt some lessons from the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections. Yakubu, who spoke in LagosWednesdayduringa retreat for an overview of the Ekiti and Osun off-cycle governorship elections: lessons for the 2023generalelection, saidthe challenges the Commission faced and overcame in both elections would provide useful lessons for the 2023 election.

In his opening speech made available to News Express, the Chairmansaid: “In both elections, we were prompt and proactive in the level of implementation of our pre-election activities such as training, storage facilities, the printing of the voter register, the receipt of non-sensitive materials, preparation of the Registration Area Centres (RACs), deployment and configurationof the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), coordination with the security agencies and the management of electoral logistics.

“Similarly, the opening of Polling Units (PUs) and the commencement of polls was impressive, a fact also reported by many election observation groups. “However, while the Commission draws vital lessons from the conduct of the most recent off-cycle elections, managing the forthcoming election is huge. “The voter population, number of polling units, election personnel, security considerations, logistics and so on are enormous.

For instance, compared to the general election, the Ekiti and Osun voter population constitutes just 3.27% of the total number of registered voters; 5.94% of the number of local government areas, 5.77% of Registration Areas (or electoral Wards) and only 3.51% of PUs nationwide.”

In the speech, Yakubu noted that accredited observers have identified gaps and made over 170 recommendations on improving future general elections in the country. Said the INEC chairman, “In particular, the review report identified over 170 recommendations to improve elections in Nigeria.”

He also unfolded that, “the Commission will be meeting with the National Peace Committee under the leadership of our respected former Head of State, General Abdulsalami next week”.

The Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Olusegun Agbajein his addresssaid the retreat wasaimed ata thorough and honest appraisal of the conduct of off-cyclegovernorshipelections in EkitiandOsun states with a view to ensuring an improvedperformanceinthe conductof afree, fair, credible andinclusivegeneralelection in 2023.