“We have requested each university for a specified number of academic staff as contained in my letter to the vice chancellors. Staff who are card carrying members or have participated in partisan politics should not be nominated. Similarly, those who may not be involved in partisan political activities but are known to have obvious political leanings should not be nominated,” he said.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned vice chancellors of federal universities against nominating card-carrying members of political parties as retuning officers for the 2019 elections.
He gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja at an emergency meeting with the VCs.
According to the INEC Chairman, collation of results would take place in 8,809 registration area or wards, 774 local government areas and 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He added that the commission would require the services of 10,603 staff to support the various collation and declaration processes.
“We have requested each university for a specified number of academic staff as contained in my letter to the vice chancellors. Staff who are card carrying members or have participated in partisan politics should not be nominated. Similarly, those who may not be involved in partisan political activities but are known to have obvious political leanings should not be nominated,” he said.
He explained that the commission would take its time to scrutinise the list, which will be compiled by the vice chancellors, just as he urged them to resist the temptation of lobbyists. He stated that the commission drew the required collation and returning officers from the academic staff of federal universities.
