INEC will not issue certificate of return for any candidate declared winner under duress- Mahmood

Ebun Francis|

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said it will not issue certificates of return to any candidate declared winner of an election under duress.

INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu who said the commission will not tolerate intimidation of its staff, made the disclosure at a meeting with the inter-agency consultative committee on election security held in Abuja.

It will be recalled that INEC returning officer for Imo senatorial district, in Imo state, Francis Ibeawuchi, said he was “forced” to declare Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, winner of the poll.

He said, “I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the presidential and national assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections.”

“However, the commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress. Where such occurs, the commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them certificates of return.”

According to the electoral umpire chairman, the commission had put necessary measures in place to ensure voting starts at the scheduled time of 8 am.

He said materials for the election have been delivered to all states and the FCT and movement to the local government areas to be completed before Friday.

“By tomorrow, all materials and relevant personnel will arrive at the Registration Area Centres (RACs),” he said, adding: “With this arrangement, we are confident that all polling units will open at 8 am nationwide.”