US Sends 30 Election Observers To Ekiti

The United States mission to Nigeria is sending about 30 election observers to monitor the governorship election in Ekiti that will hold on Saturday. In a statement released by the public affairs office on Friday, the US described the election as a very important one in the lives of Ekiti residents. “A well-conducted election in Ekiti that is free of violence and accurately reflects the will of the voters would constitute an important demonstration of the credibility of the electoral system as the February 2015 elections draw closer,” the statement read. The mission called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security services to ensure that registered voters would be able to cast their ballots efficiently and without hindrance; Candidates and parties were advised to play by the rules at every step of the process, while voters were also encouraged to go to the polls. The governorship election is seen as a test for the electoral commission ahead of the 2015 general elections. The commission had promised to ensure that the election would be free and fair, after it introduced the permanent voters’ registration card which would be used for the governorship election.