With barely one month to the presidential ballot on February 16, five missions of leading western democracies in Nigeria have reemphasised their countries’ demand for a free, fair, credible, and peaceful polls that would beat the 2015 election.

The countries and mission are the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

The missions, which presented various demands when they met with Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja admitted that the commission may, from time to time, face intense political pressures but insisted that INEC must meet the challenge by asserting its independence.

The missions also harped on the need for the security agencies, especially the newly appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, to be neutral, tasking security agencies to protect the process and the voters.

This point was emphasized by the new United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, who advised INEC to exercise its role as prescribed in the Constitution, assuring it that the international community was ever ready to provide needed support to stave off pressures.

Laing said it was for this reason the various missions, including the UK, had been consistent in providing significant technical support.

David Young, the Charge’ de Affairs of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, was particular about the need for neutrality of the various security services and independence of the various arms of government, especially the safeguard and respect of the judiciary in line with the nation’s constitution. He said his country took the matters seriously.

He said: “U.S. is committed to providing support to INEC for the Nigeria general elections. We are looking forward to working together in providing more support.

“I would want to especially address all the concerns we have and that is the neutrality of the security services.

“For us, it is very important that the security services provide security for the elections that will guarantee the voting process, the security of the voters, but should not interfere with the people getting to the polls, or poll watchers, election monitors from having access and be able to vote freely.

“This is something we feel very strong about and the neutrality of the security services is one of the very important issues for the credibility of the elections. I also want to say that we appreciate very much the important role the judiciary plays in Nigeria.

“As a country with the perfect three tiers of government with executive, legislative, and the judiciary branches, it is critically important that the executive does not interfere in the role of the judges and the judiciary.

“And it important that judiciary is safeguarded and respected.

“As regards the police, we know that a new Inspector General of Police was just appointed; the US Embassy looks forward to working closely with him. They will appreciate the leadership he will provide as IGP. We are looking forward to working with Nigeria as friends and partners.”

Stressing the role of the mission towards the success of the 2019 election, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kertil Karlsen, who later unveiled a new Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC), emphasized that the missions were not supporting any of the candidates or parties.

“What we are here to do as true partners of Nigeria, is to support your efforts in seeing a continuation and consolidation of the growth here.

“Nigeria showed to the global population in 2015 that the outcome of a credible election can prevail. That was a powerful message in terms of unity, opportunity and general economic development of the people of Nigeria. We want to also see this reinforced in 2019, and whoever is the successful candidate will also be a partner of our various countries,” he stressed.

Other representatives of the missions in attendance spoke in the same light.

In his response, the INEC boss reassured his visitors that votes would count in the forthcoming polls, adding that the commission was almost set to run.

He said: “Today is exactly 30 days to the next general election. We are at the moment basically putting finishing touches to the preparation for the elections.

“All the heavy items for the elections have already been procured, additional ballot boxes, voting cubicles, replacement of Card Reader, the Permanent Voters Cards have all been delivered for collections by the citizens.

“Collections have been devolved to ward levels from today, January 16 to 21, the last day for collection at ward levels, and thereafter collection will continue till February 8 at various Local Government Areas.

“We have concluded and published the guidelines for the 2019 general elections and we have finalised the manual for the elections which will be used for training for the various categories of staff to be used for the elections.

“We are recruiting and will soon start training the ad hoc staff for the elections. We are good to go for the 2019 general elections.

“We are aware that the election is going to be an intense media event not only that the international community will intensely watch the processes as they have always done. I want to assure you that we will not fail the international community and the nation.

“We are aware that the long term EU Observation Mission is already in the country and I hosted the long time ECOWAS Observation Mission. The international community are already in Nigeria for the elections.

“The 2019 general elections will be credibly; we will jealously guard the process and ensure that the processes lead to what the whole Nigerians expect. It will be nothing but free, fair, and credible and only that will be good enough for the country.”

The Election Monitoring and Support Centre was equipped with support from the EU.

•Sourced from a Daily Independent report

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