2023 Election: INEC Is Ready for Free, Fair, Credible Election

By Iyojo Ameh

An Abuja based legal practitioner and political analyst, Prince Orji Nwafor-Orizu has urged Nigerians to be confident in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to organise credible, fair and transparent general elections.

He further informed that insecurity might be insignificant in determining people’s participation in the polls urging all party agents to be vigilant and defend people’s votes.

The elder statesman who stated this in an interview with reporters in Abuja, while reacting to the fear being expressed in some quarters that elections may not hold in some parts of the country because of Insecurity.

He added that Insecurity will not stop the elections urging security agents to live up to their responsibilities of protecting lives and property before, during and after the elections.

“Insecurity is being talked as if it is not there before. Boko Haram and other forms of Insecurity has been there, but it has not stopped elections. I travelled to my town, Nnewi, for the last Christmas and New year holidays. I did not see kidnappers going to people’s houses to kidnap them.

“Yes there was a time Insecurity is an issue in the Southeast. But not now. I don’t think Insecurity have anything to do with the elections. People are eager to vote in the coming elections.

Reacting to the Central Bank of Nigeria Naira note redesign and cash swap policy, the legal luminary observed that Nigerians are not always quick to catch up with time as more time were given by the Apex Bank for people to swap their old notes.

He appealed to the leadership of CBN to do more in terms of sensitization and education as most civilized countries of the world become what they are today because of high monetary standards.

He further advised CBN to carry out more sensitization programmes in order to educate Nigerians about reasons for the new Naira notes stressing that the policy when properly implemented could strengthen Nigeria’s economy for good.