Prof Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission would conduct a free, fair, credible and peaceful governorship election in Cross River.
Jega gave the pledge in Calabar on Wednesday during an interactive session with stakeholders on the governorship election slated for Feb. 25 in the state.
?“We are prepared for the election this Saturday. I am very pleased to inform you that operationally and logistically we are ready.
?? ? ? ? “We are prepared to have free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Cross River.”
He said: “INEC has worked assiduously to keep on improving on the electoral process and keep on raising the power of the efforts that we are able to make for the credibility of the elections.
“As we prepare for Saturday elections we feel confident that the operational and logistical preparation and security arrangement on ground show that we are ready for the elections.
“We also know that people of Cross River are peace loving. In fact, I can testify to it and not only are they peace loving but environment itself induces people to the peaceful.
“Therefore, we have no doubt that God willing we are going to have a peaceful election next Saturday.
“As i speak with you today, all the lessons that we have learnt since April elections, we have factored them into the preparation for the series of elections that we have held since then.”
He commended the Chairman and members of the Inter Agency Consultative Committee (IACC) on elections security, for the tremendous effort to ensure a peaceful election.
He described it as a “very useful innovation for the credibility of voter registration and then April elections''.
The INEC Chairman called on all the stakeholders to join hands with INEC to ensure a peaceful and successful election in the state.
“Both the contestants and the political Parties executives have to demonstrate their commitment to peace and ensure that their supporters conduct themselves peacefully during the elections.
“Every stakeholder has a positive role to play in order to bring about free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
“On our own part we have been committed to free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. We trained our people very well from the presiding officers, supervisory officers and collation officers.
“We have also told them on the need to be professional in the way they do their job; efficient, impartial and non partisan. We are committed to create a level play ground for all contestants and all parties.”
He, therefore, urged the stakeholders to ensure that the election becomes “the freest, most peaceful and most credible among the election conducted in Nigeria so far”
Jega also explained why the 2012 governorship polls in Cross River was rescheduled from the April 14 earlier slated by INEC to Feb. 25.
“INEC changed the time table for the election because we were compelled by circumstances to do that.
“The judgement of the Supreme Court made it imperative for us to take another look at the time table.
We have been advised by the best lawyers that we have consulted.
“Obviously the reason that was utmost in our mind in fixing the time table, else we rescheduled the election has to do with the need not to allow vacuum in governance in the states where the supreme court said the tenure of the governors has expired.
“That was primary. We did it legally from all the legal advised that we have had the electoral act and the constitution have given INEC the power to issue time table.”?