‘We Will Never Compromise Our Integrity’ Says INEC

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu, says the commission will never compromise its integrity.

Naija News reports that Yakubu made this comment at a meeting with Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector-general of police on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The INEC chairman also said the commission is not under pressure to do what is wrong.

Yakubu made this statement 24 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed doubt about INEC’s integrity to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Naija News recalls that Obasanjo had the electoral umpire was under pressure to manipulate the polls in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, in what appears to be a reaction to Obasanjo’s statement, Yakubu noted today that INEC will do what is right.

His words: “This is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations,” he said.

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

“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.

“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 INEC chairman said the nation was looking forward to the commission and the police to conduct credible elections.

Yakubu said the media would be provided unimpeded access to the commission during the elections.

The INEC boss called for a close working relationship between the commission and the police at all levels.

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

“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 urged the police personnel to be on the ground early enough to escort officials of the commission to polling units.