The chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu has said that the commission would not compromise its integrity in conduct of the 2019 elections. Prof Yakubu was reacting to the insinuations that it may not conduct free, fair and credible elections.
Recall that Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had on Sunday written a letter, telling the nation that there was doubt as to the integrity of the commission to conduct a free, fair and credible elections.
This clarification was made by the Chairman in a meeting in Abuja, on Monday, with the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and other senior police officers.
Yakubu went further to say “this is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations.
“I want to tell you that we as a commission have never been under any pressure to do what is wrong.
“We will never compromise our integrity to do what the law says that we shouldn’t and for the 2019 general elections, I want to assure and reassure Nigerians that votes and nothing but votes will count.
“WIth this level of cooperation from the security agencies, I want to assure you that Nigerians will have a pleasant voting experience in 2019.”
The nation was looking forward to INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to conduct credible elections, he said.
An unimpeded access will be granted by the commission to the media during the elections, Yakubu said.
A close working relationship between the commission and the police at all levels was required he said.
“The more we collaborate with the police, the easier the prosecution of election offenders.
“We are going to consult the security agencies for the deployment of personnel for the elections.
“We must work in partnership to give Nigerians a pleasant election in the upcoming elections, our responsibility is to serve the Nigerian people,” Yakubu said.
He requested that officers of the force be on ground early enough to escort officials of the commission to polling units.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), has been directed to set up a special lectionaries investigation teams, the Acting IGP said earlier.
The teams would take into custody and undertake detailed investigation of all arrested electoral offenders across the country and shall liase with INEC towards the prompt processing of the case files of the offenders for prosecution, Adamu said.
The police would respect and protect the rights of all citizens of the country regardless of their socio-economic status, Adamu further reiterated.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections comes up on Feb. 16, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly will hold on March 2, Naija Politico reports.
