INEC promises to conduct election in which true winners emerge
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria’s make or break vote in 2023 will be the freest and fairest ever in Africa, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged, to calm nerves about insecurity and ballot materials being compromised.
INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Festus Okoye made the pledge at the 2022 Calabar Carnival where he provided public education on the general election.
He urged INEC officials “to show Nigerians that they have the capacity to do so”, saying the Commission is participating in the carnival to sensitise and encourage people to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote on Election Day.
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Power in PVCs
Nigerians should realise there is power in their PVCs, Okoye stressed, otherwise politicians will not be struggling to buy them from prospective voters, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“My message to Nigerians is that only the PVC can change their circumstances. Therefore, those who do not have their PVCs have no business in the electoral process,” he said, per reporting by The Guardian.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the PVCs are available for the people and to organise free, fair and credible elections.
“It is also to ensure that those whom Nigerians say should win the 2023 election won. The time has come for us to organise the freest and fairest election on the continent of Africa.”
Okoye insisted INEC has no political party and owes no allegiance to any individual but the Nigerian people, and will mobilise all national assets to ensure the 2023 vote is the freest, the most credible, and the best in the country’s history.