Nigerians not INEC officials hold actual power – REC
“Something is about to happen in Nigeria “, Mike Igini, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State who sounded prophetic said Wednesday morning on Arise News.
Igini who appeared on the Morning Show said those fretting over the conduct of the 2023 elections do need to entertain any fear.
Igini reacting Wednesday to questions from Abati and El Rufai on the Morning Show.He said, given the nature of the Electoral Act as amended, actual power has been returned to the Nigerian people, saying nobody engaged in the electoral process has the reach to manipulate the outcome of voting.
Igini revealed that INEC has put in place five anti – rigging processes to frustrate election riggers.
He said to vote, prospective voters would pass through rigorous checks, including the use of biometrics and face recognition mechanisms before they cast their votes.
Anyone who cannot be identified will not vote, Igini said on television.
As he put it, INEC is determined to ensure that votes cast by Nigerians in the forthcoming elections really count.
Igini stresses a point during the show. “Something is about happen”, he says.He assured them that the old order of doing political business and conducting elections in the country has been pulled down.
He admitted that vote buying has become difficult to exorcise. But he said INEC would relent its effort to track down those who specialise in buying and selling votes
The former Resident Electoral Commissioner disclosed that the total number of registered votes in any part of the country which some parties are leaning heavily on in producing so-called data banks does not matter.
Warning that those who are projecting how many votes they already have in the kitty would be shocked by what will happen in the field, he said what would matter on election day is the number of accredited voters who would exercise their franchise and not the quantum of registered persons.
According to him, there is nothing any staff of the Commission would do for any candidate or political party.