The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has accused politicians alongside and other stakeholders like police of sabotaging efforts of the commission at ensuring the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Jega alleged this in his keynote address at a one-day workshop on ‘Securing the 2015 Elections’, organised for Command Commissioners of Police by the United Nations Development Programme held today in Abuja.
“Nigerians have aspired for democracy; they have aspired for free, fair and credible election for the deepening and consolidation of democracy, but this aspiration has been continuously frustrated to the extent that one can say that many Nigerians have been wondering about whether democracy is worth it.
“Regrettably, the series of elections that we have had, the choice of the voter has in most cases been truncated.This is either by actions or inactions of the electoral commission or by the very aggressive and fraudulent conduct of participants in the electoral process”, Jega lamented.
He called on all stakeholders to do what was expected of them to ensure a free, fair and credible elections in 2015.
He described the police as an important stakeholder and urged the Force to collaborate more with the commission to ensure that the forthcoming elections were devoid of crisis.
He, also, commended them, saying they had improved on their performances so far but added that they need to do more to secure the 2015 elections.
Jega said that at least three unarmed policemen and other security personnel are needed to man each polling station during the election to give voters the confidence to exercise their franchise.
