…Godknows Igali describes poll as opportunity to redeem Nigeria
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its readiness to conduct next week’s presidential and National Assembly election.
It gave the assurance at the Monthly Breakfast Meeting organised by New National Star newspaper in Abuja on Wednesday, assuring that all arrangements for the election have been concluded.
Deputy Director, Department of Public Enlightenment of the commission, Chukwuemeka Ugboajah, who represented National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, further disclosed that sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been delivered.
Ugboajah equally noted that International Observers, Media and training of ad-hoc staff arrangements have been completed.
Dismissing reported plans for shifting of the election, the electoral umpire laid to rest the fear in some NIgerians with the theme: “Avoiding electoral crisis in the 2023 Nigeria’s general elections: The Role of INEC and other stakeholders”.
Assuring that all that are needed to be done for election to hold had been done, he said: “No INEC staff can manipulate election results. With BVAS, nobody can manipulate the election result. The BVAS reduces election violence,” he noted.
“We are ready for election. Distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been done. Accreditation of International and domestic Observers have been concluded; Media accreditation, Meeting with all stakeholders and meeting with Vice Chancellors that would form part of the Returning Officers have been concluded.
“The training of ad-hoc staff would be completed this weekend. INEC will make sure that men and material are quickly deployed so that they would not create opportunity for people to make trouble,” the commission assured.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the event, former federal permanent Secretary, Godknows Igali, said that Nigeria should not despair over the election.
His words: “NIgerians should not see the election as something that would not change anything. What they need to do is to go out and vote. We have a fresh opportunity to put the country on the right tracks.
“We should avoid crisis during election. If we cannot, we need to minimize this to the barest minimum. If Electoral Act are to be followed properly, there would be no crisis during elections. When you put the right people in place, you get the right result,” he advised.
In his welcome address, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Montage Africa Media Ltd, Publishers of New National Star Newspaper, Obnna Nwachukwu, said: “There is no doubt that a well-secured environment is essential for any election to hold successfully.
“But in the case of Nigeria, insecurity has remained a major threat to the electoral process in the country. Not long ago, INEC raised the alarm over the effects of violence, insecurity, fuel crisis and scarcity of the newly redesigned Naira on the forthcoming general election.
“In the same vein, leaders of some political parties had equally called for the strengthening of the security architecture in the country preparatory to the elections. And despite assurances from the federal government, the fear remains palpable. Barely 10 days to the presidential and National Assembly elections, no fewer than 41 attacks on INEC facilities and politically exposed persons have been recorded including presidential and National Assembly candidates,” he said.