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Reports that the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an
investigation into the 2009 rerun election in Ekiti State has been
applauded by Nuhu Ribadu, an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
presidential aspirant.

Mr. Ribadu said in Abuja yesterday that monitoring INEC officials will ensure free and fair elections in the country.

“It is the right
step in the right direction. The only way to ensure free and fair
election is when you have a system in place to check the excesses of
all officers,” he said.

Over the weekend,
a national daily reported that the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Attahiru Jega, has concluded
plans to begin probing the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in
charge of Ekiti state at the time of the elections, Ayoka Adebayo.
According to the report, INEC had set up a three man committee to begin
this probe as a first step to cleaning its house in preparation for the
upcoming 2011 Elections.

Protect your vote

The results of the
controversial April 2009 rerun elections in Ekiti State were widely
believed to be a result of coercion. Six months later, the results
which saw Segun Oni of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) returned as
Ekiti State governor were upturned and Kayode Fayemi of the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was sworn in as the new governor of the state.

Referring to the
upcoming 2011 elections, Mr. Ribadu, the former chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urged Nigerians to
resist voters’ intimidation.

“Stand up against intimidation, protect your vote, and do what is right,” Mr. Ribadu said.

Meanwhile, the
presidential bid of the former anti-graft boss has been endorsed by the
youth wing of the Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, the World Igbo Youth Congress
(WIYC). The group, led by Ronald Okechukwu, paid a courtesy visit to
Mr. Ribadu in his campaign office in Abuja yesterday assuring him of
their support.

“There must be a 360-degree deviation from ‘Chop – I – Chop’ stance
by Nigerian political gladiators for Nigeria to really move forward.
Without fear of contradiction, I want to say that Nigeria is in dire
need of an emancipator that can save her from the current state of
abject penury,” Mr. Okechukwu said.