New RECs Takes Oath of Office as INEC Chairman Urge Them to be Firm, Transparent

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has sworn in Nine (9) new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who were recently appointed by the President and cleared by the National Assembly.

Prof. Yakubu however said the 10th REC designate from Akwa Ibom State, Etekamba Umoren will be sworn in by January, 2024 when the tenure of the current serving REC from his State Delta will expire.

Those sworn in during a recent regular meeting of the Commission with RECs were Abubakar Dambo Sarkin Pawa; Abubakar Ma’aji Ahmed; Dr. Anugbum Onuoha; Ehimeakhe Shaka Isah; Mal. Aminu Idris; Mohammed Sadiq Abubakar; Mrs Oluwatoyin O. Babalola; Olubunmi O. Omoseyindemi; and Shehu L. Wahab.

The INEC Chairman after the oath-taking ceremony, noted that “among the nine new RECs, four have been career officers of the Commission rising to the rank of Director”. “They have been involved in elections and electoral activities both at the field and the Headquarters. Their experiences traversed electoral operations, election and party monitoring and electoral litigation.”

According to him, “This is the first time several INEC career officers are appointed as RECs. You are not new to the conduct of elections. There is no learning curve for you.

Consequently, there can be no excuses for failing to hit the ground running and for making a huge difference to the quality and transparency of elections. “

“The other five RECs sworn in today have varied experiences in the public service at both National and State level. We will hold you to the same standard as we hold the career officers of the Commission,” he said.

Addressing the new RECs further, Prof. Yakubu stated that “As RECs, you are the representatives of the Commission in the various States to which you will be deployed shortly. The work of the Commission is a difficult task. Election is a multi-stakeholder activity. It is also a very emotive issue, especially in an environment where some desperate political actors and their supporters want to win by all means, failing which they blame the Commission or even seek to deligitimise the processes and demonise officials.”

Furthermore he said “ I urge you not to engage in a puerile debate that adds no value to your work. At the same time, you must not be impervious to genuine criticisms. You must maintain the Commission’s tradition of regular consultations with the critical stakeholders.

These are the Political Parties, Civil Society Organisations, the Media, Traditional Institutions, Religious Bodies and the Security Agencies. You must always be very firm in ensuring fairness and transparency to all.”

The Hon. Chairman charged them to be guided by the electoral legal framework, the code of conduct for RECs and good conscience.

He added that, “You must also work closely with your field officers in the State, listening to their wise counsel but always providing guidance, leadership and effective supervision”.

He warned them to understand and operate within the ambit of their delegated powers and responsibilities. “Our state offices are part and parcel of the Commission, and we will not hesitate to deal with acts of defiance, indiscretion or transgression on the part of any REC” he warned.

The INEC Chairman further urged the new RECs to effectively manage men and resources in their various states of posting. He said “We will hold you accountable for your actions and inactions, manage your personnel as well as the extremely limited resources at your disposal very well. Elections and electoral activities take place all-year round, as it is the case with every general election; reforms will follow in the aftermath of the 2023 General Election. We are finalising our main report for the election as well as the review report following wide-ranging engagements with stakeholders” he added.

Prof. Yakubu thereafter announced the posting of the new RECs with immediate effect. According to him, Abubakar Dambo Sarkin Pawa will assume office as REC in Kebbi State, Abubakar Ma’aji Ahmed is to serve as REC in Borno State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha was posted to Edo State and Ehimeakhe Shaka Isah-Will as REC Akwa Ibom State.

Other postings were: Mal. Aminu Idris to resume as REC in Kaduna State, Mohammed Sadiq Abubakar as REC Kwara State, Mrs Oluwatoyin O. Babalola as REC in Ondo State, Olubunmi O. Omoseyindemi will resume as REC in Ekiti State while Shehu L. Wahab shall resume as REC in Nasarawa State.

Responding on behalf of the new RECs, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola pledged to carry out their responsibilities with utmost professionalism.

According to her, “We have just subscribed to the oath of allegiance and oath of office, Sir; we pledge to be loyal to this oath and commit ourselves to high ethical and professional standards, discipline, and hard work for the achievement of the vision and mission of the Commission. We will be firm, fair, impartial, and non-partisan to all political actors and act respectfully and decorously towards all electoral stakeholders.”

She added “We are conscious of the enormous responsibilities of a Resident Electoral Commissioner in the electoral process in a diverse and complex country like ours where elections are only fair when candidates win, and their mandate stolen when they lose. We all look forward to a harmonious working relationship with the Hon. Chairman, Hon. National Commissioners, other Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Hon. Secretary to the Commission and all staff of the Commission.”

INEC to Release Timetable, Schedule of Activities for Bye and Rerun Elections Soon

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of bye-election to fill existing vacancies in the National and State Assemblies will be released soon.

The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who made the disclosure on recently during a regular meeting of the Commission with RECs also disclosed that Bye-Elections will be held alongside rerun elections.

He said “Very soon, the Commission will release the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the re-run elections which will be combined with bye-elections in constituencies where vacancies have been declared by Presiding Officers of legislative houses following the death or resignation of serving members of the National and State Assemblies. So far, five vacancies have been declared for Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Chibok State Constituency of Borno State, Chikun State Constituency of Kaduna State and Guma State Constituency of Benue State.”

He continued, “Similarly, we want to assure citizens in six other constituencies that we are liaising with the National and State Assemblies for the declaration of vacancies so that bye-elections can be conducted in earnest. These are Ebonyi South and Yobe East Senatorial Districts, Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Yauri/Shanga/ Ngaski Federal Constituency of Kebbi State, Isa/Sabon Birni Federal Constituency of Sokoto State and Khana II State Constituency of Rivers State.”