MAHMOOD: INEC not to blame for failed elections, parties present criminals and certificate forgers as candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has exonerated the commission from incidents of failed elections in the country.

He stated in Abuja on Tuesday, that political parties were the major cause of such situations because they present criminals and certificate forgers as candidates to stand for elections.

He however stated that the commission has been learning from past mistakes and is not going to disappoint Nigerians in the conduct of 2019 general elections.

Yakubu also vowed that INEC under his leadership was never going to take instructions from anybody.

The INEC boss stated this at a Stakeholder Validation Conference on the 2017-2021 INEC Strategic Plan held in Abuja.

Many analysts claim that elections under Yakubu has been marred with inconclusive polls, rise in electoral irregularities including open buying of ballot papers from people queuing to vote at polling boots.

However, Yakubu making an assessment of INEC under his leadership blamed political parties for some of the ugly realities the commission has continued to contend with.

He blamed politicians for presenting criminals and certificate forgers as candidates.

He then explained that while over 40 electoral offenders have been prosecuted, the commission has 100 outstanding case files with it for consideration.

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He further said the 23 INEC staff indicted during the rerun legislative election in Rivers State had been placed on suspension, adding that similar disciplinary measure might be taken against 202 staff being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the N29billion poll bribery recorded during 2015 general elections.

“We will never take instruction from anybody. We will take our own decision and stand by the consequences of the decisions we take. We have been learning lessons from the past elections and we will continue to do what we have been doing courageously while we learn from the past.

“We will continue to approach the conduct of election with honour and credibility. We will never, never let the country down,” he said.

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