2015: Anambra REC pledges transparency, urges objective reporting

AHEAD of the general elections in February, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in Anambra State, Edwin O. Nwatarali , an engineer, has pledged to be transparent and maintain an open door policy in the discharge of his duties.

The REC, who spoke yesterday at the State INEC headquarters, Awka, during an interactive session with journalists also tasked reporters to be objective and not   publish sensational stories especially during the election.

 Nwatarali, who took over from Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu  now posted to Enugu,  emphasised that he cannot be compromised in the course of discharging his duties, even as he denied ever receiving assistance of any sort from Anambra state government or any individual in the state.

He noted: “I have been called to do a job and I will do that job to the best of my knowledge. It is about official business. There is an electoral guideline and we in the INEC will follow it religiously: It will be our bible, our guide for the 2015 election”

 Continuing, he said: “I believe that if we follow it judiciously, we will not step on any banana peel. I have been in this commission for four years and one will be a fool to repeat the mistakes of others in the past years” promising also that his staff will not cut corners.

 Answering a question on their level of preparedness, Nwatarali said INEC is working seriously towards conducting a hitch-free and credible election.

 “Preparations are  ongoing. We have received sensitive, non-sensitive and other relevant materials”, the REC said, adding that he had also visited all the 21council for on-the-spot assessment and identified some problems which will be attended to.

 He further explained that the commission has made contingency preparations for smooth operations in the riverine areas which, according to him, covers only three local government areas.

 On the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card (PVC), Nwatarali said that a lot of progress has been achieved in the wards, pointing out that they have moved up  from the former 55 percent to 71 percent of collection in the state.

 He called on the relevant agencies in Anambra state to   plan towards and ensure adequate security during the  election period.