Plans to rig: Presidential Forum berates Obasanjo, says INEC credible

The Patriotic Presidential Forum (PPF) has expressed utter disdain for former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s attempt to assail the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stating that the umpire’s credibility and competence to conduct free and fair elections remain intact.

The Forum also regretted that leaders that ought to have built bridges have chosen to heat up the polity unmindful of the dire consequences of their unpatriotic action.

The Forum secretary and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) presidential candidate, Dr. Onwubuya John Breakforth, in a statement yesterday said the forum totally disagreed with President Obasanjo’s dissatisfaction on the credibility of the INEC to conduct the 2019 polls.  

“As presidential candidates, we believe in the sincerity, credibility and capacity of INEC to conduct all elections including the presidential polls of 16th February 2019, otherwise we will withdraw from the polls, if the process is faulty, the outcome cannot be trusted.

 “We have been following INEC preparation process including the awards of contracts for the electoral materials and the entire preparation process has been transparent and there is serious commitment on the part of INEC to conduct the freest, fairest and credible elections whatsoever”, the statement said.

Accordingly, the forum expressed confidence in the ability of INEC to do its job properly and urged Obasanjo to let INEC be.

“We appeal to the former president and other opposition parties to count INEC out of any alleged APC rigging machinery. They should note that every political party contesting must have their legitimate plans to win, if APC is planning to rig, we believe INEC is not aware, INEC should put her machinery in motion to check out all this allegations.

“Our firm believe in INEC as a commission is not negotiable, the chairman of INEC is a Professor of repute and all the commissioners are Nigerians of proven integrity, we can trust them wholeheartedly”, Dr. Breakforth said in the statement.

The forum also said: “We are aware that INEC has perfected all her plans to deploy workable Card Readers and adequate distribution of all sensitive materials to the respectively states, LGA’s, Wards and polling units on time and uncompromised”.

It therefore appealed to political actors to stop any negative words or allegations capable of disintegrating our country, which will no longer be accepted, noting that they were concerned with uninterrupted electoral process.

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