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By Joel Anekwe
British Government has declared that the will work with relevant stakeholders to ensure peaceful and credible polls across Nigeria in 2019.
The deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Laure Beaufils made the commitment after a closed door meeting with Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt on Friday, saying that the technical progress achieved in the Osun State elections should be improved upon next year.
She said: “If you look at the Osun State elections that just took place, there has been a lot of technical progress in respect to INEC.
“We have seen significant progress which we hope can be replicated across the country in 2019. It is something that we are looking at and we are working with INEC for further progress.
“It is a combination of working with security agencies and INEC and there is an element of political will. The decision makers of the two political parties should demonstrate their political commitment to address these issues,” she said.
Beaufils noted that she discussed the process of ensuring that the 2019 general elections in Rivers State are peaceful and credible with Governor Wike and leaders of the APC.
Also speaking, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said the state is fully committed to peaceful and credible polls.
Governor Wike urged the international community to prevail on INEC and security agencies not to interfere with the voting process in the course of the 2019 elections.
He said: “Let them come out totally that they are willing to tell the government of Nigeria, to tell the security agencies, to tell INEC, to do the needful. Don’t interfere in the electoral process.
“Let the people determine what will happen. What their fate will be. If that happens, I can assure you that, we will not have any violence. Election will be free and fair.”
Governor Wike wondered why the security agencies cannot replicate the professionalism they displayed in Osun State, in Rivers State.
“Our experience is that we don’t have trust in these agencies and we don’t want to be deceived because of the interest they have in Rivers State.
“I wonder if these security agencies will be committed to Rivers State, the way they were in Osun State. Nobody has come out in Osun State to accuse security agencies of being openly involved. Why can’t they do that in Rivers State,” Governor Wike said.
