Attahiru M. Jega I should emphasize that in recent times in Nigeria, the cardinal role that stakeholders in the electoral process have played is to canvass for reforms. As I have already noted, Nigeria's democratic process was for long marked by instability, particularly because of recurrent failure of the electoral process to faithfully deliver the wishes of Nigerians. By 2007, matters have practically come to a head and Nigerians almost unanimously agreed that the electoral process had to be fundamentally reformed. 2.3 Reforms Prior to 2011 Elections An overwhelming desire for electoral reforms among Nigerians heralded our inauguration in office in June, 2010. This was in the wake of the work of an Electoral Reform Committee set up by the late President Umaru Yar'Adua and headed by former Chief Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais. That committee, of which I was privileged to be a member, made far-reaching recommendations on measures necessary to ensure the credibility of elections in Nigeria. Government has adopted many of those recommendations, although a few were not. Since the inauguration of the present Commission, we have worked hard to improve the electoral process and to incrementally respond to the desire of Nigerians for their votes to count and for democracy to be deepened. The following are some of the measures we introduced in 2011 with appreciable results: a. A new biometric Register of Voters; b. A Re-Modified Open Ballot System(REMOBS); c. Improved standards in the production of Sensitive Electoral Materials(i.e., serial numbering and colour-coding of Ballot 30 Stakeholders and the Electoral Process in Nigeria: Review of 2011 Elections and Projections for 2015 Papers and Results Sheets, as well as security coding of Ballot Boxes); d. Revised framework for results collation and returns; e. Revised framework for engagement of ad-hoc staff; f. More open and transparent procedures, modalities and processes on Election Day(i.e., pasting of results at Polling Units and Collation Centres); g. Closer collaboration and partnerships with a range of critical stakeholders such as political parties, security agencies, CSOs, media practitioners, etc.; h. Improved voter education and citizen engagement; i. Improved and increased training and re-training of INEC staff; and j. Creation of an ICCES to ensure coordinated engagement of all the security agencies during election periods. Since the 2011 elections, the Commission has spent much time reflecting on the conduct and outcome of the elections. Many reviews have been conducted involving INEC staff, security agencies, development partners, the media and political parties. As part of that review, an independent committee of experts was appointed to review the 2011 voter registration exercise and the General Election. The purpose was to critically review both processes and advise the Commission on how future elections could be improved beyond our modest achievements in 2011. The outcome of their work is now widely available as the Report of the Registration and Election Review Committee(RERC), which is published on INEC website www.inecnigeria.org 31