The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has given the assurance that nothing will go wrong in the conduct of the general election.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja, in a meeting with members of the diplomatic community and international election monitoring groups in Nigeria.
The meeting was organised by INEC in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Represented by an INEC National Commissioner, Dr Mustapha Lecky, Yakubu said Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections would be hitch-free.
The INEC boss said that the commission had no reason to feel that anything would stop the conduct of the election on February 23.
He said adequate measures had been put in place for the success of the exercise, adding that the deployment of materials had been concluded.
His words: “We believe that as a prayerful nation the act of God has been assuaged and that things will go right, we have no reason to feel that anything will go wrong.
“We have received all the materials, they have been checked, audited people have been informed, party agents have gone there to check.”
The general election which was to commence on February 16 was shifted to February 23, following problems of logistics.
Yakubu made the announcement after an emergency meeting of the electoral body.
He expressed regret over the action.
In the rescheduled election, the Governorship and House of Assembly election will now hold on March 9 and not March 2 as earlier fixed.
Meanwhile, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has given assurance that the police will be professional in its duties and do everything possible to protect the people and property.
He said the police was working with other security agencies to make sure that the election was peaceful and credible.
“The police will be professional, impartial and will create a level playing ground for all parties.
“All security personnel were trained by various security agencies, training was also given by Civil Society Organisations and other partners towards free, fair and transparent elections.
“I have spoken to Nigerians. We on our part, will be professional and impartial.
“We are going to create enabling environment for all the political parties to operate freely without molestation without favouring one party against another,” he said.
