INEC Preparedness, Challenges and Public Expectations for a Peaceful 2015 Elections in Nigeria Abubakar Momoh Director-General The Electoral Institute, Abuja Presented at WANEP Staeholders Consultative Meeting on Peaceful Elections in Nigeria, March 12-13, 2014

Lessons Learnt from 2011 General Elections Retreats on Lessons learnt Post Election Audit Registration and Election Review Committee (RERC) Staff Audit by PriceWaterHouse Restructuring of TEI Directorates and Departments reorganised and made more effective Values and Electoral integrity Result-based Civic and voter Education Impact evaluation Electoral integrity. Collective ownership, civic duty

INEC’s Preparedness New focus: policy, plan and restructuring Long term planning : Strategic plan and work plan ( ) Connecting implementation strategy to relevant Departments and units Policy: Elections Management System (EMS) Plan: Elections Project Plan (EPP) Restructuring of TEI Introduction of AFIS Automated CVR and PVC Introduction of Card Readers for PVC Discarding the Use of Addendum Register Customising results sheets to PUs Overhauling training methodology Delimitation of constituencies Improving on logistics and security Updating and warehousing databank of ad-hoc staff High Premium Insurance for both permanent and Ad-hoc staff Election Time-Table out well on time, unlike in the past

7 Principal Business Areas (PBAs) Election Day Logistics (EDL) Election Day Training (EDT) Election Staff Management (ESM) Election Day Support (EDS) Political Party & Candidate Management (PPM) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) Election Day Procurement (EDP)

Public Expectations Building Political Trust Transition from Political Elite to Political Class Issue-based campaigns Free, fair and credible Elections Delivery and distribution of sensitive materials on time Adequate security at Polling Units Payment of allowances and entitlements of ad-hoc staff Non-partisanship of security personnel and civil conduct Zero tolerance for violence Internal party democracy

Challenges Key challenge: (i) funding (ii) rhetorics of politicians overheat the polity(iii) Election Day logistical challenges (iv) Security for PUs (v) topography-creeks and inaccessible areas Logistics and Deployment of personnel on election Day 750,000 Ad-hoc staff to be trained, certified online and used in 2015 Elections Investigative and prosecutory role of the Police AFIS caught 93,000 fake voters in Anambra Gubernatorial elections Over 800,000 citizens caught in multiple registration, NEC has no funds and capacity to prosecute Rhetorics of politicians overheat the polity Logistical challenge on Election day Security in Electoral process, campaign rallies and on Election Day

The Security Challenge Post-Election Violence often worse Youth violence and thuggery-Sara suka (Bauchi); Yan daba(Kano) Boko Haram (NE), ECOWAS Boys (Ogun) Area Boys (Lagos), Dei Well & Dei Gbam (Rivers and Bayelsa), Agboole Boys (Ondo) Infrastructure of violence-light weapons, economic hardship Inter Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), coordination and cooperation-bottom up in defining agenda Early warning signs-need to monitor and identify conflict triggers and conflict indicators-early warning management Electoral Risk Management (ERM) and Mapping of Electoral Risks- designing an effective tool-AU/I-IDEA Electoral Alternative Dispute Resolution (EADR)-for mediating & resolving electoral complaints and disputes especially within political parties Politics as warfare

Stakeholders Meetings and Sensitisation IPAC and INEC quarterly meetings and interaction Policy validation meetings with CSOs and relevant stakeholders Issue-focused debriefing and interaction with media Media sensitisation on key issues relating to elections INEC hour on AIT every Thursday

Peace Education and sundry issues Peace Education as a new paradigm: The peace education is founded on the principle that people and problems should be approached positively and not negatively Civic education, Voter information, and voter education New methodology for voter education:by TEI Result-based Voter Education by TEI and VEP Dept INEC Communication Policy: information management and make or mar an election e.g. Anambra Gubernatorial Election Vote to score, Voters Club Alternative means of reaching ruralites and urban youth-popular culture Recruitment and Training for the right calibre of citizens for elections Training for CSOs and Media Training for political parties/candidates INEC’s role is technical and NOT political-hence peace elections is the mandate of ALL stakeholders Need for collective ownership of the Electoral project