INEC: We Can’t Expose Sensitive Materials Used in 2019 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said
that despite its policy to be transparent, some of the materials
used in the election are sensitive and cannot be exposed.

The Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,
disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the 2019 Press Freedom Award,
organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Yakubu who was represented by INEC National Commissioner and
Chairman Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, also
cautioned against the dangers of fake news, and especially its
destabilisation power on the society.

The chairman noted that it is challenging dealing with
deliberate misinformation, especially information relating to the
intentions of the commission, saying its processes could be
difficult to communicate.

He stated: “The issue of fake news is now a big issue. It is now
difficult to filter fake news and real news. The tragedy is that in
a society where rumour- mongering is a big national challenge, fake
news can destabilise the society and lead to complete breakdown of
law and order .

“It is also challenging dealing with deliberate misinformation.
Information relating to the intentions of the commission and its
processes can be very difficult to communicate. While it is the
policy of the commission to be transparent, some of the materials
used in the election are sensitive and cannot be exposed,” Yakubu
explained.

Yakubu stressed that the media must see the commission as a
critical national treasure and strive to support it , and where
necessary, criticise it in a constructive and not in a destructive
manner.

The INEC chairman also explained the differences between the
INEC and the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), noting
that many people in the past have used the two interchangeably and
thus, confusing their roles.

He said that the media must therefore be abreast and
knowledgeable of the statutory role of the INEC and SIEC, adding
that often, the media group and organisations use both
interchangeably and confuse the role and place of both institutions
in the electoral process.

“Sometimes, when people are reporting about the SIEC, they
report as if they are reporting the INEC. The only nexus between
the SIEC and INEC is the fact that the voter register that is used
in the conduct of local government elections is the same voter
register that INEC compiled.

“So, the constitution and the law obligate the INEC to hand over
the voter register to the SIEC for them to use in the conduct of
local government election. Other than that there is no nexus
between what the SIEC does and what INEC does at the national
level,” he added.

Yakubu however urged journalists to have a good knowledge of the
constitution and the electoral framework for the conduct of
elections, saying that reporters on the political beat should know
that anyone aspiring to the position of the president in country
must be a Nigerian by birth, while an aspiring member of the
National Assembly or State House Assembly or can just be a Nigerian
by naturalisation.

The INEC boss assured that the commission was committed to
providing a level-playing field to its numerous public and a
quantitative, and seamless electoral services for the electorates
in all its actions and operations.

He also reiterated the need for Nigeria to have a national
conversation basically on the need to improve on the regime of
political parties registration or whether the country needs 91
political parties as it is today.

According to him, “having a multiparty democracy is not akin to
having 1000 political parties that espouse almost the same
ideology. So we need a national conversation.”

On his part, the President of NUJ, Mr. Chris Isiguzo, said that
Press Freedom Award has become an annual event to confer award on
journalists and friends of the media who have distinguished
themselves in supporting and propelling press freedom in the
country

He added that journalists throughout the world are increasingly
faced with threats ranging from harassment to arbitrary detention,
kidnapping, physical attacks and in most extreme cases killing.

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