INEC assures Nigerians of credible elections

The Independents National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the 2015 general elections would be credible.

The INEC Commissioner in charge of South- South zone, Mrs Thelma Iremiren, gave the assurance at a voter education seminar in Port Harcourt.

The seminar, which had ``Are Nigerians Ready for the 2015 Election’’ as its theme, was organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission and INEC, among others.

She said INEC had captured voter information through biometrics for the upcoming elections.

She added that ``voters will vote through the use of card reader which will read up the details to qualify or disqualify the voter before voting.

``If you are the owner of the card, it will say verified, if you are not, it will say disqualified; the result sheets have been been customised so the area of taking a ballot sheets from one local government to another will no longer work.’’

In his contribution, Mr Hosea Karma, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, said there was need for security before election because without security, there would be no elections.

Karma, who was represented by Mr Ali Mohammed, the Assistant Commissioner, Operations, said ``security means freedom from apprehension and harassment.’’

He, however, assured that there would be security before, during and after the elections.

In his contribution, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, the Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), advised Nigerians to resist election rigging, ballot box snatching and inducement.

The cleric said government should protect lives and property and noted that election was ``futile’’ if security was not provided during elections.

According to him, the electorate will be disenchanted with elections if their votes did not count.

Kattey said government should ensure the independence of INEC, while the commission should not be biased in the registration of political parties.

The Archbishop said it was the responsibility of INEC and police to provide security for voters during elections.