By Akpokona Omafuaire

WARRI — TO maintain its integrity and restore hope to the oppressed, the Delta Youth Assembly, DYA, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a credible free and fair election in 2011and not succumb to any undue pressure, just as the group condemned the recent Abuja bomb blast.

DYA President, Mr Akise Akpoghenobor, in a statement, urged the Prof. Attahiru Jega led INEC to conduct a credible election that will restore the faith of Nigerians in the electoral process as well as give them credence.

The Youths charge INEC to recruit credible Ad hoc staff and that the staff of the commission should be up and doing, be of good repute to conduct a free and fair election in the forthcoming general elections, so that INEC name would not be drag in the mud.

“We condemned in its entirety, the recent Abuja bomb blast by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND. Such an act is criminal and cannot be seen as fighting the Niger Delta cause. We urged the President to dig deep and fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.”

The youth group also called on the Inspector General of Police and the Minister of Defence to put in place mechanism that would protect and guarantee the safety of the electorate in the forthcoming general elections.

The group added that the safety of INEC officials, ballot boxes and other electoral materials should also be guaranteed, urging them to shun acts of favouritism.

It added that it was in support of the deference of the general election date by INEC and called on all Nigerians of voting age to come out en mass to register in the forthcoming voter’s registration exercise, adding that the group was presently embarking on a sensitization campaign in all local government areas of Delta State.