The elections coming up November 16 in Bayelsa and Kogi respectively would correct mistakes in the 2019 general election and set a new standard for future elections in the country.
This was made known by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the end of a two-day seminar on the preparedness of the for the November 16 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
This is coming as stakeholders from Kogi and Bayelsa States have listed violence, vote buying and manipulation of youths as some of the issues that would determine the outcome of the polls in the two states.
Speaking yesterday, the Chairman of the Board of INEC’s Electoral Institute, who is also a National Commissioner, Prince Solomon Soyebi, said: “The election will provide the commission with yet another opportunity to test-run its policies, processes and new initiatives.
“Since the conduct and outcome of the 2019 general election, the commission has done a lot to reorganise and strengthen its processes, procedures and systems for better performance.”
According to the INEC national commissioner, “Although the conduct of the 2019 general election and the commission‘s performance had some challenges, we can use the 2019 general election as a barometer for comparison with subsequent elections, including the Bayelsa governorship election. Clearly, the commission is not under any illusion about the many issues and challenges posed by the electoral process.”
Soyebi said efforts would henceforth be made to further strategically reposition the commission and strengthen its capability to deliver successful elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states, especially that they will serve as test-case on lessons learnt from the challenges at the 2019 general elections and improvement for the future.