The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sworn in Dr Mahmuda Isah as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), bringing the total number of serving RECs in the commission to 25.
The INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said in a statement that the new REC was sworn in at the commission’s headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, congratulated the new REC and urged him “to immediately settle down for the task ahead’’.
“There is no time to waste, please endeavour to familiarise yourself with the constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines as well as the commission’s strategic plan 2017-2021,” Yakubu said.
Yakubu said that the appointment came at a time when INEC and Nigerians had begun countdown to the 2019 general elections.
He added that the REC assumption of office coincided with the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) which was critical to the success of the 2019 general elections.
Yakubu urged Isah to be fair to all members of staff, be prudent in managing resources and “ensure his personal integrity is not put to test’’.
He expressed confidence that the new REC would deploy his education and experience to the work of the commission and add value to the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.
The chairman said 3.9 million voters had been registered at the end of the third quarter of 2017 in the on-going nationwide CVR.
On his part, Isah promised that he would discharge his duties with utmost professionalism.
Isah, who hails from Kebbi, appreciated the warm welcome accorded him.
Until his appointment, he was a Deputy Director at the National Assembly. He holds a PhD in Petroleum Law. (NAN)