Blame Political Parties, Stakeholders For Lapses Of 2019 Election-INEC

Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo, a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has blamed the shortcomings of the 2019 elections on political parties and some stakeholders in the election process.

He revealed this during a State Level Post Election Review meeting in Gombe State.

Speaking, he defended INEC on the 2019 elections adding that improving the elections is not solely the responsibility of the commission.

“Though the conduct of election is solely the responsibility of INEC, political parties, critical stakeholders and other actors in the country must also improve what concerns them during elections.

Alhaji Arfo further said “This is a vast country, it is not INEC alone that will improve our elections, although election is our own responsibility, but the political parties, the other actors in the country, they must also improve what concerns them during election.

“Something like simple party primary elections, some parties are not able to hold it properly, and things like violence, vote snatching, or even the lackadaisical attitude of the electorates, all these things are left for the parties to properly campaign among the electorates, to raise consciousness amongst the electorates, to come out and vote.”

He said INEC is always training, retraining and retraining its staff, while adding that everybody has a role to play to make elections successful.