[FILE PHOTO] INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu
A coalition of civil societies has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police and other security operatives to exhibit high sense of patriotism by playing a neutral role during next year’s election.
Briefing journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, Sheriff Mulade of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, urged the agencies to be apolitical, and resist inducement by politicians to subvert the will of the people.
Molade also charged them to carry out their responsibilities without fear, favour or bias against any candidate or political party, saying the success and failure of the polls rest in their hands.
“As a group, we believe that every Nigerian has a role to play as far as next year’s elections, either through advocacy, or direct participation so that bad leaders would not emerged at national, or states,” he stated.
While stressing that election frauds, if not properly curtailed, often cast aspersions on the country, Molade declared: “This often weakens security institutions if the later do not wake up to their responsibilities.
“The coalition election debate is part of the process of assisting in developing the political land scape of the country. Our time table would soon be unveiled for political parties.”
Also speaking, Napoleon Ehiremen of Nigerian for Good Governance, expressed satisfaction with INEC, but urged the body to improve its activities to guarantee credible election next year.
On vote buying, he maintained that this comes in different forms before, during adding that because of this, we would always sound a note of warning to the electorate generally.
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