By Joy Odor
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has promised Nigerians that he will deliver the best election ever in the 2023 general elections as the Commission kept its promise of improved polls in Osun governorhsip elections.
He made the promise when the delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) visit on assessment of the preparation for the 2023 general election at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to Prof Yakubu, the Osun and Ekiti Governonship elections are just the beginning of election transparency as the Commission is committed to delivering best election ever, assuring the delegates that when they go into the working session there will be an opportunity for him to respond to some of the issues.
“This is the first meeting that the commission is hosting after the Osun governorship election. I have listened to some of the issues raised but perhaps, when we go into the working session there will be an opportunity for us to respond to some of the issues,” the INEC chairman added.
“But as for the preparation for the 2023 general election, I want to assure you that we promised Nigerians that Ekiti was going to be good and Ekiti was a good election. We promised that Osun was going to be better, Osun was a better election. We are promising that the 2023 general election will be our best election ever and we are committed to delivering best election ever.
“Thank you very much for all the kind words you have said about Osun. We are encouraged but there is still a lot of work to do and we assure you that we will continue to work not only hard but even harder to deliver the 2023 general election.
Earlier, the Secretary of State of Ohio in the United States of America and leader of the delegation, Mr Frank LaRose,
said they are in Nigeria on the preparatory to the 2023 general election and commendated INEC for credible polls.
According to him, having observed the just concluded Osun governorship election, there was room for improvement and commended INEC for its continuous improved electoral process in the country.
He said: “I lead a delegation of high level election experts from around the region, as well as from the United States, who share with you the common believe that the people of Nigeria deserve to continue to have free, fair, and acceptable elections, so we are working to prepare for the presidential election in 2023.
“First, I want to commend you all for the ongoing work that you do to continue to improve. Of course, we always know there is room to get better, but we need to first recognise the continuous improvement that INEC has made to deliver safe elections to the people of Nigeria, and that is something that we were able to see first hand.”
“We took the opportunity to visit Osun because that was only the second time election has been conducted under the new electoral law. We met with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun state, and we observed dozens, many different polling locations on election day.
Also commenting, the NDI Regional Director for Central & West Africa, Christopher Fumonyoh and the IRI Regional Deputy Director for Africa, Jenai Cox lauded INEC’s efforts over the years to deliver credible election and sued for a better polls in 2023.
