Nine freshly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have taken the oath of office.
Speaking at the ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, congratulated them on their appointment.
“They have been involved in elections and electoral activities both in the field and at the headquarters; their experiences traversed electoral operations, election and party monitoring, and electoral litigation.
“This is the first time that several INEC career officers are appointed as RECs. You are not new to the conduct of elections. There is no learning curve for you.
“Consequently, there can be no excuses for failing to hit the ground running and for making a huge difference to the quality and transparency of elections.
“The other five RECs sworn in today have varied experiences in the public service at both the national and state levels. We will hold you to the same standard as we hold the career officers of the commission,” he said.
Yakubu charged the RECs with acting within the election law framework, the code of conduct, and their conscience.
He also exhorted them to be steadfast in their efforts to provide justice and transparency for all.
He indicated that the commission would shortly disclose the timetable and activity calendar for the re-run election following the 2023 general elections.
He stated that the poll would be combined with bye-elections in constituencies where vacancies had been notified by legislative house presiding officers due to the deaths or resignations of serving members of the national and state houses of assembly.
