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Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has said the Commission would continue to stand by its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), despite spurious claims and antics by desperate politicians to soil their image.
This is coming few days after the Edo State Media Campaign Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Mayaki, accused the Akwa Ibom State REC, Mike Igini, of plotting with Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the September 19 governorship election.
An allegation Igini did not threat with cuddling gloves, as he has dragged Mayaki to court demanding N1 billion for character assassination, a retraction and public apology.
But, Yakubu, who spoke after swearing-in Tella Rahmoni, as the new REC for Ekiti State, yesterday in Abuja, said INEC would continue to discharge its duty diligently.
He said: “The REC himself responded and in my discussions with him on Monday, he said he has also asked his lawyers to initiate legal actions against the person who made the statement.
“So, we leave it at that since the matter is likely to go to court but let me also say this, that we stand by our Resident Electoral Commissioners. We know the kind of job we are doing on the eve of elections.
“All manner of people come with all manner of accusations to slander officials of the commission and essentially to divert our attention from the onerous task of conducting elections in the country.
“We won’t be distracted. We know all these shenanigans, people have been doing this for a long time. It will not distract us from doing what is right.
“My assurance to the people of Edo and the people of Ondo and then the people of the 13 constituencies where we are going to conduct bye-elections on October 31 is that they should expect from INEC free, fair and credible elections; professional conduct.
“We will not compromise our Oath of Office for any reason. Whoever the people vote for becomes their governor or representative. This is our assurance to Nigerians.”
He urged the new REC “to be responsible for managing resources and personnel in the state you are going to be deployed to. So, you should manage resources prudently.
“You should be firm and always mindful of the fact that ours is an onerous responsibility and you must always be on the side of the Electoral Act, our guidelines and regulations and above all, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The policy of the commission at the moment is to deploy RECs to their geopolitical zones but on no account will they serve in their states of origin; not even deployments to assist the sitting RECs in their states of origin. You are hereby deployed to Ekiti State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner.”
On activities of political actors in Edo, he expressed “our anxiety on the conduct of political actors and their supporters. So, we are concerned but we are leaving no stone unturned in speaking to the political actors.”
