Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reassured that Nigerians will choose who they want in the 2023 general election,
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance when a delegation the United Nations led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, UNOWAS, Mahamat Saleh Annadif visited the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
The Chairman, assured the United Nations delegation that the Commission will continue to uphold the choice made by Nigerians as it is its mandate to do what is right on the basis of the law to have a free and fair elections in all elections including the 2023 General elections.
He promised that the Commission will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that elections in Nigeria will continue to get better and better so as to consolidate the democratic environment.
Professor Yakubu, disclosed that with about the 84 million registered voters so far, Nigeria, has 11 million more registered voters than the 14 countries in the sub-region, which share 73 million voters; pledging that INEC will continue to do what needs to be done for the peace and stability in the sub-region.
The INEC Chairman commended UNOWAS for being supportive of INEC especially during the conduct of elections in Nigeria and also assured that INEC’s committment to ensuring better electoral process.
Earlier, the UNOWAS representative, Annadif, had said United Nations will continue to support Nigerians to attain peaceful election pointing out that Nigeria has always set a good example for other African countries.
He noted the UNOWAS covers 15 countries including Mauritania and they are in Nigeria when the country is preparing to hold its elections in 2023 because the peace, stability and security in the region depends also on Nigeria.
Annadif, promised that the United Nations will always be supportive of Nigeria to ensure peaceful elections and congratulated the INEC and political parties for the work they have done and are yet to do in terms of preparing the elections.