Nigeria not yet Africa’s giant, says Sokoto REC
BY ABDALLAH EL-KUREBE
Sokoto - The Sokoto State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Alhaji Hussaini Mahuta, has said that unless Nigerians agree to play the electoral game by the rules with a view to conducting free and fair elections in the April polls, Nigeria should not be addressed as Africa’s giant.
He stated this yesterday during a meeting between Inter-Agency Consultation Committee on Election Security and officials of political parties at Sokoto Guest Inn.
According to Mahuta, “Until Nigerians display maturity by playing the game according to the rules in order for INEC to conduct free and fair elections as has been witnessed in less popular countries in Africa, Nigeria may not as yet qualify to be African giant.”
He observed that recently, Ghana and Niger Republic were among the few African countries that conducted hitch-free elections and wondered why Nigeria, which is described as African giant should not follow suit.
Mahuta advised politicians to obey the rules and behave well since no erring political party or supporter would be spared for violating electoral laws.
He enumerated general election procedures, responsibilities of party agents at polling units as well as restriction of movement on election day.
At the meeting was Director of State Security Service, who served as chairman of the occasion; Brigade Commandant, Commissioner of Police, Customs Area Comptroller in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, Director of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, among others.
