The European Union (EU) and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) at the weekend called on critical stakeholders and the electorate to join hands with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure free, fair and credible election in the state.
The Programme Coordinator, ECES representative in Nigeria, Mauro Maria Teresa, made the call in Lokoja during the Election Monitoring Support Centre (EMSC) programme hosted by INEC.
She stressed that the success of any electoral process largely depended on the support extended to INEC by all the critical stakeholders before, during and after the exercise.
“Apparently, the conduct of a free, fair and credible election is in the overall interest of Nigeria as a democratic nation, therefore it is imperative to support the electoral umpire to fulfill its core mandate of conducting unbiased election that will be in the admiration of the people.
“That is why ECES and other international support organisations, including the EU, are committed to the delivery of a seamless election in Kogi State and other places, as the case may be,” she said.
She therefore appealed to the political parties and their supporters to play their collective roles in ensuring that the forthcoming election in the state was devoid of rancour and crisis that would impede the integrity of INEC and the election.
