Free, fair election antidote to democracy, good governance – Gov Aliyu

Posted by admin Governors, Niger, State News Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

NIGER State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has explained that transparent, free, fair and credible elections are the only antidote for democracy and good governance.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, at the opening ceremony of a one-week training workshop for commissioners and electoral officers of the state Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), in Minna, the state capital, noted that local government council was supposed to be reserved for the best of men and women of competence, character and integrity.

Such persons, according to him, must have passion for serving the people irrespective of the inconveniences and discomfort associated with grass-roots life style and local administration.

He stressed that the local government administration was one level of government that called for sacrifice, dedication and commitment on the part of the elected leaders, because majority of the people understood what government was doing only through the programmes and activities of the local government chairmen and councillors.

Governor Aliyu challenged the commission to surpass the feat attained by the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), at the April 2011 general election, especially, in the areas of organisation, logistics deployment and general handling of the electoral process, believing that such targets could be attained in line with the vision3:2020 of the state.

-Sunwp_posts