The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the commission’s desk officers to develop themselves for greater productivity for the forthcoming general elections to be more credible than that of 2015.
Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Gombe State, made the call in Gombe on Thursday during the North East Capacity Building Workshop on `Voter Education’ for desk officers.
Ibrahim, who was represented by his Administrative Secretary, Alhaji Abacha Bukar, said the success of any election largely depended on effective voter education, among others.
According to him, it is only when the electorate are fully informed of the electioneering process that credible election will be envisaged.
He called on the participants to work hard toward ensuring free, fair and credible elections in their respective states and the country at large.
“As the 2019 general elections approach, the commission will be counting on your experience, dedication, creativity, professionalism and patriotism to accomplish these noble objectives.
“This is even more imperative with the menace of vote-buying gaining prominence and other ills threatening our electoral system, ‘’ the commissioner said.
In her remarks, Mrs Mary Nkem, Deputy Director, Voter Education, INEC, Abuja, said that the objectives of the workshop was to build staff capacity for effective voter education ahead of 2019 general elections.
She said that it was also an avenue to brief the staff on key voter education activities for the elections.
Nkem said that INEC was committed to make the elections free, fair and credible.
She called on the participants to be free and interact for them to fully understand the purpose of the workshop.
The participants were drawn from Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States