Eminent lawyer and activist, Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, Esq., is of the view that “the Independent National Electoral Commission has a big burden on its hands, to tame the antics of politicians and their desperation, especially the dominant political parties.”

He noted in a statement issued on Wednesday that “the crude quest for power across the divide is simply sickening.”

Assessing INEC’s performance and the task ahead, Adegboruwa said: “It may be too early to comment on the February 23 elections in view of the pending Governorship and House of Assembly elections slated for March 9. Nonetheless, INEC must rise to the occasion to leverage on this past exercise to improve on the coming ones.”

He appealed to all political stakeholders “to embrace due process of law in all actions connected with the elections,” saying: “INEC having declared winners for the elections, no matter the merits or otherwise, the options available should be exhausted through due process of law. We have no choice than that noble option, in the interest of our dear nation.

“If we can conduct the March 9 elections without shedding the blood of any Nigerian, then we would have fulfilled the lofty expectations of our heroes past.

“In this regard, INEC must demonstrate apparent transparency and impartiality, in the entire electoral process, so as to command and sustain the confidence of voters and to ensure that their votes count, in the determination of the winner or loser, eventually. That is when INEC can truly earn its name “INDEPENDENT”. There must be no room for any person, candidate or political party, to influence the outcome of any election, one way or the other.”