We want to be one of the best electoral bodies in the world, says INEC

We want to be one of the best electoral bodies in the world, says INEC

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has
said that its vision is to be one of the beat electoral management bodies in
the world.

Speaking when a group of youths from Kogi state visited the
commission a solidarity protest on Wednesday, one of the National
Commissioners, Major General Modibbo Alkali (RTD) said it was working round the
clock to meet the yearning of the Nigerian people.

 

Alkali, who received the youths with another National
Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna and the Commission Secretary, Mrs Rose
Orianran-Anthony, said the work of the commission is based on the provisions of
the Constitution.

 

He said: “We want to commend you for coming in a peaceful
manner to ventilate whatever is on your mind. That is democracy. INEC is not a
political party. INEC has no particular candidate for any election. INEC is for
Nigerians.

 

“The vision of INEC is to be one of the best election
management bodies in the world and to meet the yearnings and aspirations of
Nigerians.

 

“We operate based on the Constitution. We have our rules and
regulations, and we don’t operate outside that. INEC will never waver in its
responsibility to do the right thing at all times. Nigeria belongs to all of
us.” belongs to all of us.”

 

Leader of the youth group and Convener, Kogi New Generation
(KNG), Richard Otitoleke commended the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) for conducting what they described as “the most peaceful and
credible” governorship election in Kogi State.

 

He also commended the security agencies for working in
synergy with the Commission to ensure a peaceful election in Kogi State.

 

Otitoleke however asked Senator Dino Melaye who lost the
election to approach the courts to ventilate his grievances rather than
castigate the electoral umpire on national television.

 

He said Nigerians have a responsibility to protect the
integrity and credibility of a sensitive institution like INEC, insisting that
the right thing for any aggrieved person who contested in an election and lost,
was to approach the Election Petition Tribunal rather than incite the public
against INEC.

 

His words: “We have a responsibility to protect the
integrity and credibility of a sensitive institution like INEC. If anyone
contests in an election and does not win, the proper thing to do as a
responsible citizen is to approach the Tribunal, but not to incite the people
against INEC because there are certain issues and factors that INEC does not
have control over in an election.

 

“We want to appreciate INEC for the synergy and
collaboration with security agencies that brought about one of the most peaceful
elections in Kogi State. In the past, we witnessed worst elections, but this
11th November 2023 election was one of the most peaceful elections in Kogi
State.

 

“We want to say unequivocally that a candidate who clinched
the 3rd position in such an election does not have the moral right or
justification to begin to incite people against the Nigerian Police and INEC.
He should go to the Tribunal for redress if he is aggrieved, and not to go to a
Television Station and begin to malign the personality and the leadership of
INEC.

 

 “We are here to
affirm to INEC that you have done well in Kogi State. We are also commending
the Nigerian Army for a job well done in Kogi State. We commend the Nigerian
Civil Defence, the Nigeria Police and all law enforcement agencies that joined
hands with INEC to ensure a peaceful and credible election in Kogi state.

 

“We are here to protect the integrity of INEC because when
we protect INEC, our electoral processes will be protected and our credibility
as a country is protected. We don’t need to malign the institution (INEC),
although there is room for improvement as we proceed.

 

“We thank INEC for improving on our electoral process
through technological innovations that had been introduced over time. And we
believe that by the time we proceed further, we will have zero tolerance for
any form of anomalies in our elections.”

Source: We want to be one of the best electoral bodies in the world, says INEC

 - NigerianEye
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