The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will not impose a governor on the people of Kogi State.
Rather, it said the people of the state would be allowed to elect their governor on Saturday.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu. stated this in Abuja on Monday.
Yakubu gave an assurance that the commission would maintain the sanctity of the ballot box in the state by conducting what he described as a free, fair and credible election.
He was speaking when he met with the heads of the nation’s security agencies, led by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.
The meeting was called to discuss the security arrangements for the smooth conduct of Saturday’s election in the state.
The election will be the first to be conducted by Yakubu since he assumed office few weeks ago.
He said, “I want to assure Nigerians that we will conduct a credible, free and fair election. We won’t be the one to impose a governor on the people of the state.
“The people of Kogi will elect their own governor. We are moving to Kogi tomorrow (Tuesday) to have a meeting with the political parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
“The decision of who becomes the governor of the state lies in the people of the state. We won’t impose anyone on them.”
He said Monday’s meeting with the security agencies was called in order to deliberate on how to conduct a free, fair and credible election, adding that the conduct of an election was not the responsibility of the commission alone but that of all stakeholders.
He pointed out that the commission decided to set up the Inter-agency Consultative Election Management Committee at the local, state and national levels to discuss issues relating to security on the conduct of elections, following the unprecedented violence that greeted the 2011 general elections.
Yakubu said that the setting up of the committee had assisted in no small way, adding that this was responsible for the peaceful conduct and outcome of the 2015 general elections.
He said this promoted commission to adopt the system for future elections, starting with that of Kogi State.
The INEC boss said Tuesday’s meeting in Kogi State with stakeholders would also involve representatives of the security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil societies, and that it would “hold in the open.”
Yakubu said, “This time around, people will move out freely, vote for the candidates of their choice without any intimidation; and at the end of the voting, their votes will be counted and the results made public; INEC has no interest in any particular candidate or a political party.”
In his remarks, the IGP warned potential troublemakers to keep off Kogi State before, during and after the poll, saying that all security agencies were fully prepared for the election and would not allow anybody or group to disrupt the electoral process under whatever guise.
Arase promised that all the security agencies would collaborate with the commission for a free, fair and credible election in the state.
