Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use all available technologies to checkmate election malpractices in the 2019 general elections.
Ayade made the call when the new Resident Electoral Commissioner for INEC, Dr. Briyai Falkland paid him a courtesy visit in Calabar on Tuesday.
He said a free, fair and transparent election will reduce tension in the country and restore public confidence in national institutions such as INEC.
“I want INEC to run a free, fair and transparent election in Cross River State. If I have to enunciate my programme for the state, I will have no worry for 2019.
“All we seek is free and fair election. If we follow the Electoral law (as amended), it is clear that election would be won at the polling booth,” Ayade said.
Ayade said to douse political tension, he had to ensure that all political parties in the state were given an opportunity to appoint members into his Executive Council, noting that the few contracts he has so far awarded had benefited other parties.
“If you look at the few contracts that have been awarded, there is no party that will say it has not benefited from it.
“Indeed, there is just an erroneous sociological impression that I came to be patronizing the opposition political party more,” he said.
“The reason why politics is full of anger, pain and agony is the winner takes all syndromes.
“We must even pass a law that will insist that certain percentage of opposition must be in government. It is critical for the unity of this nation. People don’t realize that that is the basis for political tension.
“Before I came into office, the total number of political appointees was about 98. Today, we have over 3000 appointees. I know that I don’t need that number to run my government.”
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Briyai Falkland assured the governor that he was in his office to intimate the governor of his plan to conduct a free, fair and transparent election in the state whenever election takes place.
He disclosed that about 73,000 people have registered with the commission in the state between April 27 and July 20 this year, while not less than 5000 Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) have been distributed during the period.
“I want to hold a free, fair and transparent election in Cross River State. As governor and chief security of the state, it is needful and expedient to come to you personally to inform you of my presence in the state and also to inform you of how far the Continuous Voters Registration exercise has gone,” he said.
He continued; “the first phase commenced on April 27 to 20th of July, this year and the commission registered well over 73,000 people and distributed well over 5000 Permanent Voters Card. Obudu records highest number of registered people (over 7000 people), while Yakurr had 6000 registered people. Least recorded in Bakassi LGA. It is a peculiar LGA and nobody should be surprised here.”
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