By Danlami Nmodu
Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission,INEC , Professor Attahiru Jega has raised alarm over what he called a “devious campaign, obviously.. to deflate the integrity of the Commission and cast doubt on its credibility and ability to conduct the 2015 General Election in accordance with international best standards”.
Jega who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary,Mr Kayode R. Idowu said in statement Tuesday that “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has observed a recent campaign by partisan interests in the media to tar the reputation of its leadership, particularly the Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, OFR.
The statement said “This campaign has so far been waged in the form of serial press reports of alleged financial misdeeds, either directly committed or approved by the Chairman of the Commission. Expectedly, the reports were no more than wild allegations, with no iota of proof or evidence to substantiate them. Few of these reports indeed crossed the line of journalistic decorum, and are accordingly being processed for libel litigation.
Even more, the INEC boss said “ the Commission also has information that the campaign will not be left at the level of press reports alone. There are reportedly designs to upscale the plot into public displays of hostility towards INEC, such as through rented street rallies against its present leadership, among other measures.
“The whole point of this devious campaign, obviously, is to deflate the integrity of the Commission and cast doubt on its credibility and ability to conduct the 2015 General Election in accordance with international best standards.
The Commission however assured “the public of its commitment to uphold its integrity, fairness and impartiality as an umpire of the electoral process. It will stay focused on its programmes to deliver elections that will be world class in fairness and credibility, come 2015, despite the daunting challenges. But the Commission must here again restate, as it has always done, that it cannot do it alone. It therefore pleads with other stakeholders, especially politicians, to equally commit to this cause.”
