The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised Nigerians to be ready to make political parties and their candidates do the right thing in order to have free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019.
INEC’s National Commissioner supervising Benue, Anambra and Enugu states, Festus Okoye, gave the advice in a chat with the Media and Civil Society Organisations, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, at the weekend.
Okoye, “We want to ensure that, at the end of the elections, the votes of the people count.”
He further revealed INEC had set up a special committee that would fashion out legal, registration and voting frameworks for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across Nigeria, including Benue State.
He said the step became necessary to make sure all those who were displaced from their original homes, as a result of one crisis or the others, including flooding, were not disenfranchised
He, however, advised security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to shun partisanship and concentrate on discharging their duties to the benefit of the country.
“Stakeholders need to play their parts properly, including security agencies, the political class and the media, among others, to ensure a peaceful and successful conduct of the 2019 general elections,” he said.