Igini: Nigeria Will Forgive Buhari’s Failings If He Delivers Credible Elections

Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, has said President Muhammadu Buhari has one last opportunity to redeem his image before leaving power.

Igini, said this yesterday when he featured on a discussion on AIT’s morning programme, Kakaaki.

In the programme, Igini said there had been some myriad of failings in the administration of Buhari, but him delivering a credible general election would redeem his image and make Nigerians forgive the lapses.

Igini noted that though not comparing, but it was the last grand act by President Goodluck Jonathan to willingly relinquish power even through an election that was still disputed, that lifted him to a glowing status as a respected leader all over the world.

Igini praised the efforts of the INEC under Buhari and challenged him to sustain that tempo to the end.

He argued also that the present INEC staying strong on the legal provisions that would curtail election rigging and vote buying was commendable.

He said the provisions for electronic transmission of election results and the use of only bimodal voters accreditation system (BVAS) were wonderful provisions to turn Nigerian electoral system to something credible.

Igini, mocked politicians who were still running around and allegedly buying up PVCs from voters.

He asked them to do more and buy more, but with the assurance that the cards would be worthless because they would not use them.

“The only place I have my concern is my constituency, the judiciary. I wish they comply and allow this system prosper. Do you know that the lawyer that filed an application in Owerri to get an order to frustrate electronic transmission of results and the BVAS system is under investigation by the NBA?

“That is the system we dream to have because the rise or fall of Nigeria rests on political leadership.”

However, Igini expressed his disappointment with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for yielding to the pressure of the politicians to adjust the new cash withdrawal limit.

He regretted that rather than CBN holding fast, it increased the limit and still empowering the politicians to get much money and use it to buy poor voters.

Although he was not happy with the CBN, he still sounded sure that vote buying would not do them much good to win the election with the new system.