The director-general of Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Ilorin, Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu, has commended Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy in an atmosphere of peace and harmony despite daunting challenges of governance.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Ilorin, Aremu observed that by participating in the 7th presidential election cycle since 1999, Nigerians have offered leadership in “democratic renaissance and resilience” in Africa.
He added that with as many as 93 million registered voters, 18 contesting political parties and hundreds of candidates for executive and legislative posts, “Nigeria remains the largest democracy in Africa”.
While commending prompt turnout of voters at some voting wards in the State during the Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections on Saturday, Aremu, however, decried the late arrival of INEC officials and shortage of electoral items in some polling units.
He said while technology saves time of voter identification and voting, “late coming of INEC officials fueled crisis of expectation and prevented many voters from exercising their civic responsibilities.”
He, therefore, called for what he called “improved electoral service delivery” in March 11 gubernatorial and state assembly elections, adding where many voters were denied freedom to vote due to late arrival of INEC officials and poor service, in Saturday polls, “INEC should do a rerun for fairness and acceptability of the outcomes of election.”
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