2015: Group Tasks INEC, RSIEC On Fair Polls

A non-governmental organisation, the Rivers Ethics And Conduct Group (REACOG) has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to kick start all necessary measures to curb electoral malpractices during 2014 and 2015 elections in the state and across Nigeria.
Speaking during the group’s 2013 elections sensitisation campaign in Port Harcourt, the coordinator of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Alatonye Uriah said the only way to check rigging in elections was to educate and mobilise the rural dwellers on the need for free and fair elections in the country.
According to him, the people at the grassroots were the most deceived electorates by politicians who carry out election malpractices during voting in the country.
He alleged that INEC officials and adhoc officers were not normally transparent in the discharged of their duties during elections.
Also speaking at the occasion, a human right activist Mr Benard Offiogwung suggested the use of electronic voting machines, that would indicate double thumb printing on the ballot papers.
He explained that, it is only through the use of electronic voting machine that Nigeria could check rigging during elections, regretting that both security and electoral officials do collaborate to thwart electoral process in the country.
He suggested constitutional amendment for president and governors seeking second terms to step-down at least three months to elections to check their influence.