Elections: We Are Not Under Pressure To Rig — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied insinuations in some quarters, that it was under pressure to compromise the electoral process.

Chairman of the INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, gave the undertaking yesterday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The meeting, which was hosted by the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had other senior officers in attendance.

It will be recalled that former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had expressed doubt over the readiness of the electoral body to hold credible, free and fair elections scheduled for February 16, and March 2 respectively.

Apart from the former President, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had severally alleged tendencies that suggested that the INEC was under pressure to compromise the polls.

But, the Commission’s chairman has urged the public to trust its resolve to deliver in the mandate, without interference.

“We will never compromise our integrity to do what the law says that we shouldn’t and for the 2019 general elections, I want to assure and reassure Nigerians that votes and nothing but votes will count.

“I want to tell you that we as a commission have never been under any pressure to do what is wrong.

“This is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations” Yakubu said.

Meanwhile, Yakubu has noted that the cooperation the commission was getting from security agencies, will guarantee a “pleasant voting experience”

His words: “With this level of cooperation from the security agencies, I want to assure you that Nigerians will have a pleasant voting experience in 2019.

“The more we collaborate with the police, the easier the prosecution of election offenders.”

This was as he further disclosed that the electoral body will consult security agencies in deployment for the exercise

“We are going to consult the security agencies for the deployment of personnel for the elections.

“We must work in partnership to give Nigerians a pleasant election in the upcoming elections; our responsibility is to serve the Nigerian people”, Yakubu said.