Let’s not deceive ourselves, INEC is not ready for credible election – Wike

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has said that, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not ready to conduct credible elections in the country in 2019.

This comes following an assurance by National chairman of the commission, Yakubu Mahood, that it would conduct credible, free and fair elections next year.

In a state by the Rivers State governor on Thursday, he explained that the commission, is most unprepared agency in Nigeria, for the forthcoming elections in the country.

The governor stated that there will be resistance next year, should INEC try to manipulate the will of the people. Wike also reacted to the recent approval of funds to INEC to conduct the elections, saying the funds are to squander and not to conduct elections.

See full statement below:

Let’s not deceive ourselves, INEC is not prepared for credible elections. If there is an agency that is not prepared for 2019, it is INEC . I have no confidence in INEC. There is no amount of INEC’s preparation will convince me.

INEC chooses how it interpretes laws to suit those they support. They choose the court orders to obey and the ones to disregard.

In one state where it favours a particular, they obey. In another state , INEC will claim they are yet to see judgments not in favour of the party they support “.

In 2019, any attempt by INEC to negatively manipulate the will of the people will be resisted.

In 2019, whoever wants to manipulate the process to destroy the outcome, the people will come after that person and the family.

We will not agree that for anybody to rig elections here in Rivers State. Nobody will do anything contrary to the will of the people .

Results are declared at the polling units, but INEC goes ahead to manipulate results at the collation centre as was done in Osun State.

The National Assembly has budgeted money for INEC to squander, but not for the conduct of credible elections.

The refusal to sign the amended Electoral Act is a ploy by the APC Federal Government to rig the 2019 elections in connivance with INEC.

Despite the fact that the National Assembly continues to amend the Electoral Act in favour of the Presidency, the APC Federal Government continues to generate excuses why they will not sign the amended Electoral Act .

INEC and Police are two institutions that impede the conduct of credible elections in the country.