INEC to release time table for 2011 polls Tuesday

[bamalli]

INEC to release time table for 2011 polls Tuesday

Written by Abdul-Rahman Abubakar & Turaki A. Hassan   

Time table for the conduct of the 2011 general elections is to be made public Tuesday, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Maurice Iwu said yesterday.

Iwu disclosed this when he visited Senate President David Mark.He said registration of voters will begin in June and end in July while the commission has set-up automatic strategic centres in Jigawa, Ogun and Abia states to serve as data base for the registration of voters across the country.

The INEC boss said the commission has also devised new means of minimizing incessant cases of ballot snatching, election violence and rigging and other electoral malpractices.

He assured Nigerians of successful elections in 2011 saying "INEC will further engage the services of National Youths Service, corps (NYSC) members as back-up staff for the 2011 polls instead of ad-hoc staff." 

Responding, Senate President David Mark assured the INEC of that the National Assembly will fast track the electoral reform process in order to benefit the 2011 general elections.

Mark said "I am impressed that the voters' registration will soon commence, but I am of the opinion that the exercise should be a continuous process. Anybody who has come of age could easily walk into any INEC office and register; this will ease the process and make it more accessible to all Nigerians".

[_Waziri_]

Amma kuma wannan labarin shi ba'a fara shi da bismillah dinba