PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI Tuesday asked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force to be firm, free, fair and let Nigerians elect whoever is their choice in all elections, including the 2023 polls.
The president said this at a meeting with the INEC chairman, PROFESSOR MAHMOOD YAKUBU, other top officials of the electoral body, and Inspector General of Police MOHAMMED ADAMU at the State House Abuja.
INEC has 28 reruns and by-elections this January, with the president telling the commission to ensure the game was played according to the rules and without fear or favour.
“Those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen. Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. Get your acts right, and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation,” he said.
The President said he was determined to give Nigeria an electoral system that meets with best practices anywhere in the world, and charged the electoral umpire to stick to the rules of fair play and adherence to justice.
He said the electoral process should be free, fair without bias or favouritism from the police.
“Our elections must be done in violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices. It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead and going forward,” he said.
Both INEC and the police pledged a fidelity to the rules and regulations, stating that they know PRESIDENT BUHARI as someone passionately committed to fair play.
Speaking to state House correspondents after the meeting, INEC Chairman, PROFESSOR YAKUBU said the electoral umpire would continue to conduct credible elections in line with the wish of Nigerians.
“It is essentially on the conclusion of all the litigations with respect to all the national and state houses of assembly elections arising from the 2019 general elections. So far, thirty elections were nullified by courts orders, some in whole state constituencies others in pocket constituencies.
“We have conducted two elections in these elections-Kogi West and Ajaokuta Federal Constituencies. We have 28 elections outstanding spread across 11 states of the federation and the Commission has already fixed 25th of January – that is in the next 19 days for the conduct of the courts ordered re-run elections and we are ready for these elections.
“In addition, we met with His Excellency, Mr. President and he reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the processes of free and fair and the environment is secured for that to happen. That was why the meeting was held involving the electoral commission and the Inspector General of Police,” he said.
Also speaking, the IGP, MR ADAMU said the police would continue discharge their duties without fear or favour.
“The government wants to have an election process that is equal to none in terms of example that could be given to the world so that free, fair and credible elections will take place and for that reason there must be a secured environment.
“And in securing the environment, the security strategy that was in place in the previous elections has to be reviewed, has to be enhanced so as to have an election that violence will not be tolerated, ballot snatching will not be tolerated.
“Those that usually participated in such actions like the politicians, security agencies, the INEC officials and any other group that partake in that, this time around they will not be allowed to do that.
“We shall make an example of anybody that wants to use violence to achieve his aim during the electoral process. This is the message that we are sending to Nigerians and this is the beginning of the process to make sure that this country from now onwards gets elections that is exemplary to the rest of the world,” he assured.
