The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians of credible election in 2027, and said it would exceed the successes achieved in the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
INEC National Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna who spoked on Thursday when he received Ethnic Youth Leaders on solidarity march to the commission’s headquarters, said INEC will deepen the use of technology in the conduct of next year’s general election.
Haruna who is also INEC’s Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission is committed to free and transparent elections.
“Our mission as a commission is to ensure that votes count. We will continue to improve on the conduct of elections. Nigerians will be the ones to elect their leaders,” the National Commissioner stated.
Spokesperson of the groups, Obed Agu who read the communique, disclosed that the groups at their national post-election discourse convened by the African Centre for Justice and Human Rights, passed a vote of confidence in INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, for the conduct of the Osun State governorship election.
Agu stated that the Osun election has renewed the confidence of many Nigerians in the electoral process, “and we have confidence that, if the standard demonstrated in Osun is sustained and improved upon, Nigeria can deliver a 2027 election that will strengthen our democracy.”
He disclosed that the decision to pass vote of confidence in the commission and its leadership, was arrived at after examining INEC’s pre-election preparations, the election-day conduct, the security, results management and stakeholders’ engagement.
“We are aware that when Professor Amupitan assumed office as Chairman of INEC, there were questions about his independence.
“There were assumptions about who appointed him. There were voices predicting what he would do. But democracy requires that we judge people by their conduct,” the spokesperson stated.
According to him, after observing the Osun election, the groups concluded that Prof. Amupitan has demonstrated institutional independence.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for not interfering in the Osun election, and the security agencies for creating an environment in which the Osun election could take place without undue interference.
