The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has urged politicians to make their campaigns issue focused rather than degrading opponents through the use of abusive language. The INEC chairman stated this on Tuesday at a confidence building workshop with women and youth of political parties in Abuja. Decrying the trend

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has urged politicians to make their campaigns issue focused rather than degrading opponents through the use of abusive language.

The INEC chairman stated this on Tuesday at a confidence building workshop with women and youth of political parties in Abuja.

Decrying the trend as seen in past elections where politicians had use abusive language for their  opponents, the INEC boss said that was not what campaigns should be about.

He said: “We have seen over the years campaigns in this country that are devoid of issues. They focus more specifically on insults and quarrels, allegations and counter allegations. We want to move forward and leave all these negative tendencies behind as we move towards 2015.”

  “In this age and time, it is no longer relevant for candidates to go ahead and abusing one another and to be making wild allegations and insults. They should be telling Nigerian what they will do concretely to address their needs and aspirations”, he added.

The INEC chair also said that the commission shall also be monitoring campaign expenses as 2015 general elections approaches.

 “It is clear that there are certain limits imposed in the legal framework as to how much candidates can spend during electoral campaigns. Regrettably, we have not been able to monitor this in the past and we are doing our best so that as we approach 2015, we should be able to monitor campaign expenditures of candidates,” Prof.  Jega said.

The INEC chairman further decried the tendency of politicians who behave like military officers, adding that this had resulted to lack of internal democracy within the parties.

He stressed, “They have to be democratic; they need to be have civility in the way they manage and run the parties. If they act like military garrisons commanders in their own parties, then obviously there would be serious problems in terms of maturing of democracy and helping to strengthen and defend democracy in our country.”

The INEC chief further noted that it would not condone undemocratic acts by politicians who had formed the habit of buying drugs and arming youths in their desperate bid to emerge victorious in elections.

 “Politics is not a do or die affair. Electoral contest should not be seen as a war contest. And the bottom line is if politicians buy arms and drugs and give to the youths it will not augur well for our electoral process. But INEC will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute offenders if they are caught”, he said.

 

Source: PREMIUM TIMES.