US to support Nigeria’s electoral process with $15m

Jeffrey said in Osogbo during a visit to the PDP chairman in Osun State, Alhaji Ganiyu Ola-Oluwa that his visit was meant to promote free and fair election in the forthcoming August governorship poll in Osun State. Jeffrey noted that the $15million is meant for technical assistance to INEC, civil society groups and political parties.
“America is determined to assist in promoting and deepening all tenets of the democratic process by fully engaging all stakeholders”, he said. The Osun PDP chairman while responding assured that his party would play according to the rules and reiterated the demand of the party that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Rufus Akeju be removed.
He lamented that the chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru, Jega, refused to redeploy the REC from Osun in spite of the fact that he has been widely rejected by stakeholders. Ola-Oluwa also told the US envoy that the ongoing permanent voters’ registration exercise in the state was being marred by  violence and irregularities. He said INEC is not providing sufficient materials for the registration and that many members of his party were being denied the opportunity to register. He also said APC members attacked PDP members during the exercise.