We want to be one of the best electoral bodies in the world, says INEC

Speaking when a group of youths from Kogi state visited the commission a solidarity protest on Wednesday, one of the National Commissioners, Major General Modibbo Alkali (RTD) said it was working round the clock to meet the yearning of the Nigerian people.

Alkali, who received the youths with another National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna and the Commission Secretary, Mrs Rose Orianran-Anthony, said the work of the commission is based on the provisions of the Constitution.

He said: “We want to commend you for coming in a peaceful manner to ventilate whatever is on your mind. That is democracy. INEC is not a political party. INEC has no particular candidate for any election. INEC is for Nigerians.

“The vision of INEC is to be one of the best election management bodies in the world and to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

“We operate based on the Constitution. We have our rules and regulations, and we don’t operate outside that. INEC will never waver in its responsibility to do the right thing at all times. Nigeria belongs to all of us.” belongs to all of us.”

Leader of the youth group and Convener, Kogi New Generation (KNG), Richard Otitoleke commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting what they described as “the most peaceful and credible” governorship election in Kogi State.

He also commended the security agencies for working in synergy with the Commission to ensure a peaceful election in Kogi State.

Otitoleke however asked Senator Dino Melaye who lost the election to approach the courts to ventilate his grievances rather than castigate the electoral umpire on national television.

He said Nigerians have a responsibility to protect the integrity and credibility of a sensitive institution like INEC, insisting that the right thing for any aggrieved person who contested in an election and lost, was to approach the Election Petition Tribunal rather than incite the public against INEC.

His words: “We have a responsibility to protect the integrity and credibility of a sensitive institution like INEC. If anyone contests in an election and does not win, the proper thing to do as a responsible citizen is to approach the Tribunal, but not to incite the people against INEC because there are certain issues and factors that INEC does not have control over in an election.

“We want to appreciate INEC for the synergy and collaboration with security agencies that brought about one of the most peaceful elections in Kogi State. In the past, we witnessed worst elections, but this 11th November 2023 election was one of the most peaceful elections in Kogi State.

“We want to say unequivocally that a candidate who clinched the 3rd position in such an election does not have the moral right or justification to begin to incite people against the Nigerian Police and INEC. He should go to the Tribunal for redress if he is aggrieved, and not to go to a Television Station and begin to malign the personality and the leadership of INEC.

“We are here to affirm to INEC that you have done well in Kogi State. We are also commending the Nigerian Army for a job well done in Kogi State. We commend the Nigerian Civil Defence, the Nigeria Police and all law enforcement agencies that joined hands with INEC to ensure a peaceful and credible election in Kogi state.

“We are here to protect the integrity of INEC because when we protect INEC, our electoral processes will be protected and our credibility as a country is protected. We don’t need to malign the institution (INEC), although there is room for improvement as we proceed.

“We thank INEC for improving on our electoral process through technological innovations that had been introduced over time. And we believe that by the time we proceed further, we will have zero tolerance for any form of anomalies in our elections.”