President Buhari Issues Fresh Directive To INEC

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop the manipulation of the forthcoming rerun elections.

A statement by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, said Buhari made this known while meeting with Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, and other officials of the electoral body on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Naija News reports that 28 rerun elections will be conducted on January 25, 2020.

Speaking at the meeting, Buhari stated that he was determined to improve Nigeria’s electoral system to global standards.

He urged INEC to always conduct fair, free and credible elections with no room for manipulation.

“Those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen,” Buhari said.

“Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. Get your acts right, and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation.”

He added that Nigeria elections must be violent free without any form of intimidation or favouritism by the police.

“Our elections must be done in a violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices,” he said.

“It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead, and going forward.”