President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday tasked the six new appointed National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work hard at sustaining the electoral integrity of the country.
He said he would like a situation where his administration would be adjudged as leaving behind a legacy of electoral integrity,where Nigerians will go to the polls with their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) cast their votes and go home feeling fulfilled that they have exercised their franchise.
Buhari spoke when he administered oath of office on six National Commissioners for INEC, following their confirmation by the Senate.
Their names includes: Mohammed Haruna (North-Central); AVM Ahmed Tijani Mu’azu rtd (North-East); Abubakar Nahuca (North-West); Professor Okechukwu Ibanu (South-East); May Agbamuche Mbu (South-South) and Dr Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola (South-West).
They represent the remaining nominees from the six geopolitical zones of the country,completing the 12 Commissioners expected to be appointed nationally.
The inauguration took place inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, shortly before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting commenced.
Their oath of office, came barely three days to the re-run elections in Rivers State where INEC is expected to conduct elections into the State House of Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives which was annulled by the law courts.
The President told the Commissioners, “You are coming on board at a critical time of our political development. I am sure you have truly observed the bye-elections from Kogi to Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo and Ondo.
“I am sure you are even concerned about the carnage in some of the elections and the resources dissipated.
“This administration is extremely concerned about the integrity of the electoral processes. You are people of great integrity known throughout the country.
“This administration will demand of you to be firm and fair. What this administration expects is that after we have gone, Nigerians will read the political history and know that we served Nigeria.
“We want every Nigerian to use his PVC cross checked by card reader, that they have been given the opportunity and security in their respective constituencies to elect those they want to elect. The rest is left to their conscience and to God”.
However, speaking to State House Correspondents after the swearing in, INEC Chairman,Mahmud Yakubu debunked allegation of INEC’s connivance in printing sensitive materials for elections in the state.
He described such allegations as unfounded,noting that it was akin to allegging that the Central Bank of Nigeria was involved in the printing of fake naira notes.
“I learnt about it that somebody was printing sensitive electoral materials in Rivers. First, we have no history of printing sensitive material in the state where elections is conducted.
“At the time the allegation was made we had not even awarded the contract for the printing of the sensitive materials. So, it came as a huge surprise to us. But we have gone ahead to invite the police and the State Security Service to investigate the matter because we are also interested in getting to the bottom of it.
“But is really strange to say that INEC will print fake material for elections. Is like accusing the Central Bank of printing fake Naira notes. Who has the original?” He asked.
Yakubu said the electoral body was ready for the conduct of the Rivers Rerun and would not want to be distracted by joining issues with politicians.
According to him, INEC is poised to consolidate on the achievements of the 2016 elections and wouldn’t be distracted by the allegations.
“We’d do what we have always done to the best of our ability bearing in mind that we have a responsibility to the Nigerian nation. We would go to Rivers, conduct free, fair and credible elections, declare winners and leave the next level to the judiciary.
“However, there is nothing new of what we are going to do in rivers beyond what we’ve always done. Votes must count because ultimately it is the people of Rivers that will determine who will become their Senators, members of the House of Representatives and the members of the State Assembly.
He assured Nigerians that INEC will never shirk in their responsibilities saying they will continue to discharge their responsibilities according to the law and the constitution of this country.
On alleged release of names of APC members as INEC returning officers for the Rivers elections, he said, “we have heard this allegations before. Election after election there are allegations that we compromised in the recruitment of adhoc staff for the elections and in the recruitment of National Returning Officers, there is nothing like that.
“The standard practice is to recruit adhoc staff from the NYSC and where there is a shortfall we recruit from federal tertiary institutions. And from Rivers there was a list from the University of Port Harcourt to make up for the shortfall in adhoc staff. We would continue to discharge our responsibilities, we won’t be distracted and INEC will never join issues with partisan politicians”.
Yakubu also noted that the newly sworn in Commissioners would be useful to the commission by bringing their years of expertise in various fields into play in the affairs of the electoral body.
He added that, “It is very important in so many ways. Now we have a full complement of Commissioners. Six additional commissioners are coming on board. It’s not just the number that is important to us but the capacity that the are bringing.
“We have a lawyer, we have an engineer, we have a seasoned media practitioner, we have a retired Air Vice Marshal, we have former Resident Electoral Commissioner, we have an expert in planning and in relationship with international development partners.
“They are coming at a time when we are putting all the re-run and bye-elections behind us. Next, we would then face the challenges of taking the commission forward. There are a number of things that we need to do.
“We need to revisit the de limitation of constituencies, we need to review additional polling units in this country, we need to look at the issue of separate constituencies and we also need to have a conversation in this country about the cost of election. These are the issues going forward and there are many more”, he said.
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