ABUJA – As the 2023 presidential election holds today, some elder statesmen have warned the independent national electoral commission (INEC) to live up to its statutory responsibility of delivering a transparent and credible election.
According to them, the election is crucial, noting that the electoral umpire has no reason to fail considering the enormous resources committed to the commission.
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, a founding member of arewa consultative forum (ACF), said that inec seems to be getting it right, but warned that the world is watching the commission and its leadership.
“So, from what they have been telling us and what they said they have on the ground, there shouldn’t be any room to complain or for them to fail,” Yakasai said.
Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said that inec should continue to be consistent, as it has shown in its conduct of some governorship elections in the past, adding: “I expect them to deliver free, fair and credible elections. we have so much insecurity; therefore, the security agencies should help them to conclude the good job for the best candidate to win.”
Also, The Former Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Prof Anya O. Anya, Noted That The Citizens Have Prayed For A Turnaround For The Best For This Country. “So We Have To Pray That The Good God That Has Brought Us So Far Should Finish What He Has Started. Inec Has Done The Best They Could Do As Human Beings. There Have Been Changes In The Procedures. Technology Is Certainly Making A Difference And It Is For Us To Hope That No Human Factor Should Interfere, Or The Technology Compromised. We Expect A Credible Election From The Commission.”
Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay, Said Inec Has A High Capacity To Do What It Said Its Ready To Do, And There Shouldn’t Be Any Room For Excuses.
His Words: “I Have No Doubt About Their Efficiency. The Only Problem Is Whether There Will Be Sufficient Peaceful Atmosphere. There Has Been Tension In The Country Over This Election And I Just Hope That The Security Agencies Have Been Properly Briefed To Conduct Themselves Very Efficiently And To Courageously Make Sure That Flashpoints Will Be Subdued So That Those Who Are Voting Will Safely Go Back To Their Homes After The Exercise.
Adding His Voice, The President Of Alaigbo Development Foundation, (ADF), Professor Uzodinma Nwala, Stressed That Inec Should Do What It Was Set Up To Do, Which Is To Conduct Free And Fair Elections And To Be An Unbiased Umpire In The Electoral Process.
His Words: “Based On Previous Experiences Of Inec, It Becomes Difficult To Abandon The Electoral Processes To Inec Alone Without Proper Policing, Monitoring And Asking Them To Justify Every Decision They Take. For Example: When They Announced That Polling Booths Have Been Cancelled In Many Places. Why In Those Places And Not Other Areas. Everybody Should Be On The Watch And Monitor Every Step They Take And Ask Proper Questions.
“My Only Fear Is That This Country Is Becoming Highly Anarchic. Look At What Is Happening Over The Exchange Of Currency. People Are Suffering, Spending The Whole Day In The Queue In The Banks And At The End Of The Day They Don’t Get Anything. “These Are Some Of The Things That We Are Worried About. There Must Be A Way To Monitor Every Step Inec Takes And To Make Sure There Is No Booby Trap,” Nwala Said. President Of Middle Belt Forum (Mbf), Dr. Bitrus Pogu Pointed Out That Inec Should Deliver A Credible Election; Conduct The Election Without Any Fear Or Favour And Create A Level Playing Ground For All The Contestants.
He further Emphasized That The Electoral Commission Should Ensure That All Its BIVAS Are Working Perfectly So That Nobody Should Be Disenfranchised Because Of Malfunction, And That Electoral Materials Arrive At Voting Points At The Time Specified, So That There Would Be No Short Changing Of Anybody Because Of Inefficiency By Inec.
“They Should Know The World Is Looking At Nigeria, And So They Should Give Us A Credible Election That Would Produce The President That Nigerians Voted For,” Pogu Stated.
The Former Acting National Secretary Of The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Remi Akitoye, Also Called On Inec To Do The Best It Could To Make Sure That The Election Went On Smoothly, Bearing In Mind The Enormous Resources Available To Them. “I Expect Them Not To Do Otherwise. We Have Electoral Laws, Which Make Things Easy For The Commission And The Nation. Inec Is In The Eyes Of The Storm, Everybody Is Looking Forward To What They Would Do Today.”
Former Minister Of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Said That Nigerians Were In Unusual Times, Adding That There Was Tension Everywhere. He Implored Inec And All Others Concerned With The General Elections To Ensure That The Expectations Of Nigerians Are Met.
According To Him, “Things Are Not Going The Way They Should Be Going, But With Everybody Playing The Roles Expected Of Them, We Should Be Able To Get Nigeria Back On Track. INEC as the Electoral Umpire Should Carry Out Its Duties With Such Efficiency That Nigerians Will Not Have Any Cause To Doubt Its Credibility. The Commission Should Play The Role Of An Impartial Arbiter As Expected Of Them.
