INEC Chairman, Jega reiterates commitment to free and fair election in April
Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC President
LONDON: 24/01/2011
The Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega has reiterated his commitment towards giving Nigeria a free and fair election, come April this year.
He spoke on the coming election that his commitment is to deliver to Nigeria and not to an individual during the next election adding that any pressure from any quarter that ask him to do otherwise will be resisted with instant resignation.
He spoke during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, (Hausa service) reiterating his commitment to the nation and said he owed his allegiance to Nigeria as a country and not to any individual.
” Since the day I assumed office, nobody has asked me to do things against my wish and I hope it will never happen because if I am asked to do the wrong thing, God know I will never do it. I will never do anything that will make me go against the nation’s Code of Conduct and that is why I accepted this job”
INEC, Committed to free and fair election
He continued:” I swore to the Qur’an that I will do the job truthfully and sincerely and there is nothing that will make me do otherwise. I assure the people that INEC, as an Institution will never compromise. We will organise a credible election”
He insisted that no one would be allowed to manipulate the April election under ant circumstances, warning that anyone caught trying to play with INEC credibility will be made to face the long arm of the law.
Speaking on his purported trip to Bayelsa State in the company of President Jonathan who visited to flag off registration of voter’s exercise in his home State, Professor Jega said he did nothing wrong in travelling to the state to accompany the President.
”My obligation as INEC Chairman is to supervise the registration of voters exercise. I was there not because he is a presidential candidate of a party but because he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we have to accord him that respect, given to him by God” he explained.
He emphasized the need for the President to register for the voters registration exercise in his ward in Bayelsa because it was not possible for him to do it in Abuja.
NIGERIA: Committed to Free and Fair Election come April 2011
Asked if the commission would extend the same gesture to other Presidential candidates, he said: “Remember you said the President went to Bayelsa to flag off the Voters registration exercise as you frame your question. That is different from a candidate inviting me to flag it off the exercise.
“ No matter whom the president is, we have the obligation to accord him the honour and respect as the nation’s number one citizen”, he concluded.
Source: PM News, Lagos Nigeria
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