2019: We’ll beat Jega’s 2015 record -Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral  Commission, (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu has vowed to surpass the 2015 record of his predecessor, Prof Attahiru Jega, in the conduct of free, fair and credible general elections this year. 

Under Prof Jega, the electoral umpire was said to have conducted a transparent and credible elections which endeared Nigeria to the rest of the world.

But the current INEC Chairman, said the commission was determined to improve on the feat achieved his predecessor. 

Yakubu said this on Thursday in Abuja while playing host to the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck and German Secretary of State Walter Lindner at the Commission’s headquarters.

He said the commission was determined not just to repeat the feat attained in the 2015 polls but to surpass it in order to further affirm the maturity of Nigeria in democracy and reinforce the confidence of Nigerians as well as the international community in the electoral body.

“We are aware that in 2015 Nigeria conducted election that was acknowledged and praised around the world. We have been beneficiaries of your elections. Each time we travel on election observation mission around the world, people turn to us not only to praise the achievement of  Nigeria in 2015 but to learn from the experience of Nigeria” Yakubu said.

He added that “Already, the long term observation mission from the European Union is in Nigeria for the election which  is the further affirmation of the interest of the international community in our elections but we are still willing to benefit in preparing for this election in our relationship with the international community”, he stated.

Earlier, Germany Secretary of State, Lindner reminded INEC that in 2015 Nigeria conducted election that was an example to the African Continent and the entire word which set a standard with which the 2019 general elections would be measured.

He charged the Commission to be neutral so as to guarantee free and fair elections.

Lindner noted that Germany and the rest of the world are interested in the political stability of the country, Nigeria being the economic power house of Africa with over 200 million people.

He stated that whatever happens in Nigeria negatively has repercussion for the whole world and promised support to the nation’s electoral process.

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