Politicians offered me money to rig elections – Kwara REC

Malam Garba Madami, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara on Monday said that he resisted money offered by politicians to compromise the just concluded 2019 general elections in the state.

Madami, who hails from Gurara Local Government Area, of the state made this known to newsmen after his daughter’s wedding in Minna.

“There was pressure by politicians who offered me money to compromise the 2019 general elections in Kwara state but I stood my ground and refused to give in.

“The nature of our job at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is too tempting.

“It is left between you and God to do the right thing and keep your integrity or compromise and lose your integrity. You may even go to jail,” he said.

He decried money politics and a situation where politicians think they can buy peoples conscience to do their dirty work.

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“The politicians have money and some of them feel that they can buy anybody with the money.

“It is a matter of integrity, it is left for you to be careful and work transparently to keep your integrity.

“What I did in Kwara state before the elections was to go on air and tell the people that no amount of money can buy me.

“I made them to understand that their votes will count and was not ready to compromise,” he said.

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The REC, however, said that the 765 cases before the elections petition tribunal across the country owed to lack of internal democracy by political parties.

“If the various political parties respect their constitutions and do the needful you will have less to worry about,” he said.

He said that INEC was the most organised agency in the country because all the systems are working.

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“All the personnel and departments are functioning, in other words, INEC is working,” he said.

Madami said that one of his major challenges in the state was to unite the staff of the commission for optimal performance.

“I thank God that today my staff are doing well,” he said.

He said that his ultimate goal was to make Nigeria and INEC proud by transparently discharging his duties.