According to a report by Punch Metro, the Independent National Electoral Commission has distanced itself from the comment made by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State wherein he stated that foreign persons that interfere in Nigeria’s elections will leave in body bags.
El-Rufai had said during a live programme on NTA, “Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, said foreign observers should not feel intimidated.
Igini said, “I am concerned by that statement but we want to assure members of the international community that our election is an election that we want to conduct because election period is a period for citizens to renew ideas, policies, and persons who have governed for a period of time.
“So, here in Nigeria, we want to say that on the part of the commission, our commitment to conduct free and fair election to the satisfaction of the Nigerian people first and will also meet regional and international standards, one that we will demonstrate in this election because we have sufficient tools preparation to deal with that.”