Why 2019 elections will be impossible to rig – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said nobody within or outside the commission can rig the forthcoming general elections because of the security measures put in place.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated this in Abuja, while responding to allegations made against the Commission by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, in Abuja.

Recall that Ologbondiyan had earlier addressed a press conference, calling on INEC to rise above the “manifest compromises’’ and conduct the 2019 general elections in a transparent manner.

He said that the entire nation was worried and that the palpable fear of every Nigerian today was whether INEC could conduct an election that would be free, fair, credible and transparent.

Ologbondiyan said that the call was critical following plans to have accreditation and voting simultaneously to pave the way for participation of aliens, underage and unregistered voters; as well as allocate fictitious figures in favour of the APC.

He also alleged that the PDP already had information that the geo-spatial centers created by the INEC in the six geo-political zones had also been dubiously duplicated by Mrs Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner.

Oyekanmi asked the PDP spokesperson, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, to substantiate his allegations, describing it as baseless and unsubstantiated like other allegations.

He reiterated that in the coming elections, every voter must present his or her Permanent Voter’s Card and must be verified, confirmed and authenticated by the Smart Card Reader before voting.

“Accreditation and voting will be simultaneously done as had been the case since January 2016 when the commission conducted the Bayelsa governorship election.

“It is important to also state that the Commission adopted this method because it was recommended by all the local and international observers that covered the 2015 General Elections.

“This was after confirmation that more than two million voters did not return to cast their ballots after accreditation in that election for a number of reasons.