Emmanuel Samuel, Yola
The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for Adamawa State in the forthcoming general elections, Hon. Ahmadu Adamu Fintiri, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to be fair and honest in conducting the 2019 general elections in order to avoid what he called crises that could degenerate into a national problem.
Fintiri made the call in Yola while speaking with The Point on the recent actions being taken by the electoral body ahead of the general elections.
According to Fintiri, “ In the history of budgeting, INEC has never got the kind of money they got this year. Because if you look at the passed budget, they just increased the budget with a certain percentage, but this time around, it almost tripled the amount given them. And there were adequate provisions for all their logistics. It would now become dangerous for INEC to give or to grant the custody of documents that are so sensitive to a private individual to convey to any point. How neutral is the conveyor? In this process? No, not at all.
“It poses the question and we demand a transparent process, anything short of that, we will not accept it. INEC should be fair and honest in conducting the 2019 general elections to avoid crises that can degenerate into a national problem, before it degenerates into a civil war. “
Also speaking with our correspondent, an All Progressives Congress stakeholder in the state, Mr. Phinias Elisha, who is also the Director, Public Affairs to former Governor Murtala Nyako, said INEC should reconsider its position on the arrangement with transport unions for the 2019 elections.
“No matter what it takes, the 2019 elections are very crucial and, as such, no matter what is involved, INEC should make provision for vehicles with the label of INEC to be used to convey all materials of INEC. Even if the materials are to be transported by air, in that case, the aircraft to be used should be branded. It should be the Nigerian Army or the Nigerian Air Force, because these are Federal Government institutions.
“But to contract transportation of sensitive materials to National Union of Road Transport Workers is an abuse, because, you don’t know who is transporting it. Are you sure that the materials being conveyed by the NURTW will get to its destination? How are you sure that they will not be changed on the way? You can not guarantee the breakdown of the vehicle. You can not guarantee the security of the vehicle because they do not belong to INEC,” he told our correspondent.
