2015 Polls: I Was Unshaken By Threats Because I Prepared For The Worst – Jega

The outgoing National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attaihiru Jega has disclosed that he was unperturbed by real and phantom threats during the last General elections because he had prepared for the worst including death if possible.

Jega said this  yesterday at a special interactions with selected young people and journalists in Lagos.

According to the Professor of Political Science, Nigerians expectations were high on the polls. Hence, he ensured that the right things were done.

He however dismissed rumors that were reefed during elections that he was been asked to embark on retirement. .

“ A lot of rumours were peddled during the period.  I didn’t feel i was under any threat. I didn’t contemplate going on retirement and nobody told me to do. There was no time that my security details were withdrawn. I prepared for the worse. But thank God, it didn’t happen”, he said.

While acknowledging that late preparation for the elections caused the myriad of challenges that trailed the exercise saying that the commission did well by registering over 73.5m voters within two weeks.

Jega charged the youths get involved the nation’s building adding that they must be incurable optimists about the future of Nigeria.

He said,  “Nigeria is our country. Whattever we do, we must give it our best. We (INEC)did our best under a very difficult circumstances.

“We must continue to ensure we sustain that. The reform pro ess has just begun… we av to cease the opportunity to the best for our country. We must be incurable optimists about the future of our country. We must continue to do our beat so that our dreams are realized”.