Resident commissioner blames politicians for violence
The Resident
Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ekiti State, Isyaku Maigoro, has
identified intimidation of opponents by political office holders as
being responsible for the violence experienced during elections. The
electoral officer, who is retiring from the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) today after the expiration of his tenure,
said Nigeria will continue to witness a flawed election as long as the
doctrine of win at all cost remains. Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Saturday,
Mr Maigoro called for attitudinal change among all those involved in
the electoral system for Nigeria to join the league of advanced
democracies in the world. “A situation whereby a governor or any other
political office holder goes to the polling unit with thugs to cast
their votes always resorted to intimidation of opponents and had always
been causing serious problems among politicians,” he said. “But a
situation whereby a politician goes to cast his vote solely without
anybody escorting him will enhance peaceful conduct of election and I
am convinced that Nigeria will start to get it right the day this habit
is embraced.”
Afraid of losing
He said politicians
always create situations to either mar the electoral process or ignite
crisis when they realise that they are losing. Mr Maigoro expressed
confidence in the ability of the leadership of the electoral Commission
to conduct a free, fair and credible election in 2011.
The REC also warned against taking politics as a business by
Nigerian politicians, saying this is the only anti-dote to winning at
all costs attitude of politicians.
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