IT is here at last, the first of its kind.
With collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Vintage Press, publishers of The Nation, will present a summit that will gather the bigwigs of politics and the civil society for two days, tomorrow and Thursday at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
The National Summit on Free and Fair Elections, it promises to be a sizzling forum for the various shades and standpoints of Nigerian politics to exchange ideas and possibly debate the state of the polity through the lens of a free and fair election.
Under the distinguished chairmanship of Justice Muhammadu Uwais, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, the summit will draw such prominent citizens as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, ministers, presidential candidates, governors, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, law makers, civil society organizations and members of the public.
The keynote address, will be delivered by the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. The first day will feature his key note address preceded by remarks by Justice Uwais who triggered the fervent national conversation on free and credible polls with the well-publicized reports of his committee a few years back.
Prominent political personages like Chief Edwin Clark, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and I.B.M Haruna are also expected to advance their positions on the summit.
The topics include: The challenges of conducting free and fair elections; Forthcoming elections, our expectations; How money and influence militate against free and fair elections; and The role of security agents in actualising free and fair elections.
Some of the sessions will be chaired by former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Hon. Speaker Dimeji Bankole and Justice Uwais.
Â