Posted by By Musikilu Mojeed, Abuja on
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday said it would resist any attempt to rig the 2007 elections....
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday said it would resist any attempt to rig the 2007 elections.
INEC‘s National Commissioner in charge of political parties monitoring, Dr. Ishmael Igbani, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abuja, said all officials of the commission were committed to conducting a free and fair election.
He said the commission was putting modalities in place to resist any attempt to tamper with the votes of Nigerians in the elections.
Igbani said, "We are very very ready for the 2007 election. Everything we are doing is in line with our strategic plan. As at today, there is nothing that is out of tune. Nobody can manipulate INEC. As I am speaking to you now, do I look like somebody who can be manipulated? And I can tell you that none of my colleagues can be manipulated.
"Nigerians should vote for the right candidates, their vote would surely count. We won‘t allow anybody to tamper with their votes. Nigerians should come out and vote because INEC is serious about conducting a free and fair election.
"We are not King Solomon and therefore do not have the answer to every problem but we are doing our best to give our country a fraud-free election. We are going to ensure that every vote counts. With the present constitution of the commission, it cannot be manipulated."
Igbani who said that INEC had no problem of fund, added, "The problem INEC currently has has to do with the psychology of the people. They do not believe that a free and fair election is possible in Nigeria. The problem we now have is how to convince them to believe in INEC and come out and vote. We can assure you that every vote will count."
On the crisis in the Alliance for Democracy, Igbani said the commission would only recognise the Chief Bisi Akande-led executive of the party after it received a brief from its counsel.
He said, "If the factions in the party have reconciled, they have to tell us. We have read in the newspapers that one group withdrew its suit from court. We also learnt that the court struck out the case.
"And as you know, INEC is represented in the suit and we also have a lawyer in Lagos representing us. Now we are waiting for a brief from our lawyer so we will know the exact situation. So we can take off from there."