INEC strategising for better elections in 2023 - Official

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its ongoing review of the 2019 elections was to determine areas requiring improvement for better outcomes in 2023.

Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education, told newsmen on Sunday in Kaduna that the review would enable the Commission to determine areas requiring legislative action before the 2023 elections.

Okoye was in Kaduna for the Catholic Men Organization 2019 Father's Day Celebration held at St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral.

He said that INEC would work with the National Assembly (NASS) to get good legislative framework that will lead to the conduct of better elections in 2023.

“What we normally do after every election is to start preparing for next election.

“We have finished what we call first state level review of the 2019 election, we have also done the review of the election with our electoral officers.

“This week we are going to review the election with political parties, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

“Next week, we are moving to Lagos State and have a review with our administrative secretaries and our Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC).

“We are going to harvest and document all these reviews, look at the recommendations that have legislative flavour and work with the leadership of NASS to make sure we get good legislative framework that will lead us to conduct good election in 2023.

“The ones that need administrative review we will do it administratively.

“So we are getting ready, there is significant lessons arising from 2019 election, we are taking all this on board by starting our own reviews,” he said.

Okoye added that the Commission was also reviewing the reports of local and international observers on the 2019 elections.

“We are looking at those reports critically, the ones that are positive we are going to take the positive massage along with us and consolidate on them, the negative aspect of their reports we are going to look on them and also harvest what we believe are harvestable.

“The purpose is improving the electoral regime and electoral framework,” the INEC national commissioner said.

Earlier, the Chairman, Catholic Men Organization of the Cathedral. Mr George Igwesi, said the celebration is to bring all men in the church together in building the body of Christ as individuals and as community.

Igwesi also said the event was to guide the members to be responsible fathers.

“If the family is good, definitely the church and the society will be good.

“As a father one has responsibilities as bestowed on fathers in the Scripture right from onset, so fathers have a big task especially with the present economic situation.

“The responsibilities of parents is not only to teach morality to our children, we must also take care of them financially in every aspect of life.” he said.