Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu, on Wednesday, told the Senate committee on Electoral Matters, that the commission will hire at least one million adhoc staff to control different polling units during the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
Yakubu said in 2015, INEC hired 750,000 adhoc staff, but complained that the number was insufficient to man polling units nationwide.
He also spoke on the workability of smart card readers.
He said there was nothing wrong with the machine.
Instead, he blamed it on lack of training of adhoc staff, who he said, did not know how to operate the devices.
Professor Yakubu said: “Nobody can assure you that smart cards will perform 100 per cent. There are places where we achieved up to 90 per cent. There are places where we had difficulties. It boils down to training of staff. The reason why we had challenges in 2015 was because of lack of training for our staff.
“In some of the most recent elections we have had, smart card readers have not posed serious challenges. We are improving on that. We will continue to do so. We are working seriously on improving on smart card readers so that we can cancel elections results from the office.
“We are going to deploy specific machines to specific communities. We will continue to address the challenges as they arise.
“The registration will continue until 60 days to elections. INEC took the decision that all our offices will be taken out of government buildings to our places or houses rented. It also applies to residential houses. There were cases when state governments rented apartments for our staff. As of today, we have not succeeded. But we will get there.
“Before 2019, we will try and see how we can move our offices out of government buildings. I want to assure you that we will achieve this before the conduct of the 2019 general elections.”
“Those who have no business with election conduct should be at polling units. This includes security agencies. The law is clear on that.
“We have engaged over 23,000 staff in Anambra. In 2015, INEC engaged 750,000 adhoc staff. Even if we engage up to one million adhoc staff in 2019, we will be prepared for it. In 2019, we may hire up to one million.
“Out of the 80 elections nullified in 2015, none was nullified because of unlawful omission. The law is clear on that. We have considerably reduced that problem in the commission,” he added.
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