THE Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that from today, the umpire will relocate to Kogi State ahead of this Saturday’s governorship poll.
Prof Yakubu, who spoke when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, led representatives of service chiefs to visit INEC head- quarters in Abuja yesterday to strategize for the election, said activities lined up for the poll start with a town hall interactive meeting comprising all the stakeholders.
While reassuring the Kogi electorates that there was no iota of truth in the report that INEC is planning to rig the election in favour of a political party, he expressed confidence that the commission will up- hold the sanctity of elections.
According to him, “we have reached out to the stake- holders in the conduct of the election and the purpose is to create an atmosphere in which Nigerians can freely vote for their candidates of their choice without fear, intimidation and harassment.”
“I want to assure Nigerians that the situation cannot be the same. Considering the rough route we have passed and the progress we have made in the conduct of our elections, I want to assure that we can- not fall below the expected standard.
“After our interaction with the police and other security agencies, we shall move to Kogi State where we will interact with all the stakeholders comprising the political parties, candidates, traditional rulers, all the civil societies and non-governmental organisations in an open forum and in the full glare of the media.
“We want to assure them that there is nothing untoward in what the commission is doing and that the only commitment we have in this election is to achieve a free, fair and credible poll.
“The decision as to who becomes the governor of Kogi State ultimately lies in the hands of the electorates. INEC will continue to uphold the sanctity of the election,” he said.
Speaking earlier, IGP Arase had warned miscreants playing to foment trouble before, during and after the poll to be ready for hard times, noting that police will dominate the security space for the election.
“Let me tell you that we are ready for the election. Po- lice will dominate the security space in Kogi during the election. We will not allow miscreants to hijack the poll,” IGP warns.
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