President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain courageous in declaring whoever majority of the electorate vote for the winner, irrespective of the noise by those who are bad loosers.The President, who had a meeting with the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, other members of the Commission and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu at the presidential villa in Abuja today, January 7, expressed the determination of his government to ensure free, fair and credible electoral process.
INEC has a minimum of 28 rerun and by-elections this January alone, and President Buhari told the commission to ensure that the game was played by the rules, without fear or favour.
Buhari stressed to INEC: “those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen. Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. Get your acts right, and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation.”
The President said that he is determined to give Nigeria an electoral system that meets with best practices anywhere in the world, and charged the electoral umpire to stick to the rules of fair play and adherence to justice.
President Buhari said that he wanted nothing than a scrupulous securing of the electoral process on the side of the police, without bias or favouritism.
“Our elections must be done in violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices. It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead, and going forward.”
Both INEC and the police pledged to observe the rules and regulations, saying that they know President Buhari as someone passionately committed to fair play.
INEC has a minimum of 28 rerun and by-elections this January alone, and President Buhari told the commission to ensure that the game was played by the rules, without fear or favour.
Buhari stressed to INEC: “those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen. Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. Get your acts right, and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation.”
The President said that he is determined to give Nigeria an electoral system that meets with best practices anywhere in the world, and charged the electoral umpire to stick to the rules of fair play and adherence to justice.
President Buhari said that he wanted nothing than a scrupulous securing of the electoral process on the side of the police, without bias or favouritism.
“Our elections must be done in violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices. It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead, and going forward.”
Both INEC and the police pledged to observe the rules and regulations, saying that they know President Buhari as someone passionately committed to fair play.
