The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sworn-in one new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). He is Ambassador Rufus Oloruntoyin Akeju.
With the Swearing in of Ambassador Akeju at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, Thursday, INEC now has a total number of 26 RECs in the country.
The newly sworn in REC from Lagos state is no stranger to the Commission, as he had served as a REC in the previous Commission and played a part in the successful conduct of the 2015 general election.
After taking the oath of office, the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, welcomed Ambassador Akeju to the INEC fold and urged him to settle down to his responsibilities immediately. He said the REC was assuming office at a time the Commission had released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General Elections and that preparations for the elections had already begun.
He urged the REC to expediently re-familiarize himself with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the INEC guidelines as well as the Commission’s Strategic Action Plan 2017-2021 so as to be able to carry out his duties effectively.
The INEC Chairman implored the REC to ensure no citizen was disenfranchised in the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) Exercise.
Professor Yakubu further urged the new REC to be fair to all staff, maintaining that they were the managers of the elections and key to the success of elections.
The INEC Chairman advised the REC to maintain a cordial relationship with all election stakeholders. “Be diplomatic in handling the Media, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs, Political Parties and other stakeholders in the electoral process”, he said.
In his response, the newly re-appointed REC, affirmed his commitment to the discharge his duties. He said “As I take up my appointment with renewed gusto, I hereby pledge, as always to discharge my responsibilities with integrity, patriotism, impartiality, transparency and without fear of favour.”
Ambassador Akeju pledged to contribute his best to the advancement of the work of the Commission to meet up with international standards of electioneering.
It would be recalled that a fortnight ago the Commission had sworn-in another Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mahmuda Isah, who was cleared alongside Ambassador Rufus by the upper chamber of the Legislature in December 2017.