President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu to make the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria his priority, stressing that he cannot afford to fail Nigerians in future elections.
The President the charge during the swearing of the INEC Chairman and five national commissioners in a brief ceremony which took place inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa Abuja on Monday, November 9. He urged the new INEC Chairman to live above board and abide by the oath of office he has taken by remaining an impartial umpire.
President Buhari has pledged to respect the independence of the electoral body – INEC, promising that he would not interfere with its functions. He observed that all Nigerians have a responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of democracy including transparent electoral process, free and fair elections.
The President said that a situation where people hide under technicalities to deny the citizens their rights is unacceptable. He called on state governments to make their electoral bodies to work for the benefit of all.
The President also decried a situation where elections are cancelled without investigations into what led to such cancellations so as to prosecute offenders. He stated that perpetrators of electoral violence should be made to face the full weight of the law.
The National Commissioners who were equally sworn in are Mrs. Amina Zakari, the erstwhile acting Chairman of INEC, Mr. Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, Prof. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbine, Dr. Muhammed Mustafa Lecky and Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo.
Following the swearing in of the new INEC chairman, the Acting INEC Chairman Mrs Zakari formally handed over to the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The National Commissioners are: Mrs. Amina Zakari, Mr. Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, Prof. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbine, Dr. Muhammed Mustafa Lecky and Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo.
President Buhari has pledged to respect the independence of the electoral body – INEC, promising that he would not interfere with its functions.
He observed that all Nigerians have a responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of democracy including transparent electoral process, free and fair elections.
The President said that a situation where people hide under technicalities to deny the citizens their rights is unacceptable. He called on state governments to make their electoral bodies to work for the benefit of all.
The President also decried a situation where elections are cancelled without investigations into what led to such cancellations so as to prosecute offenders. He stated that perpetrators of electoral violence should be made to face the full weight of the law. Acting INEC Chairman Amina Bala Zakari handed over to the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu following the swearing-in ceremony at the state house this morning.