Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adhere strictly to its guidelines and provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The group made the appeal against the backdrop of controversies surrounding the availability, validity or otherwise of certificates of candidates seeking elective positions in Nigeria.

In a statement signed yesterday by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Lagos, HEDA advised the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, not to be distracted or intimidated by anybody or corporate ahead of the general elections.

According to Suraju, the political class deploys all manner of rhetoric to woo the electorate for votes.

“We are not unaware of every crooked game plan and shenanigans by some politicians regarding their eligibility or otherwise to run for different positions. We have seen different unfounded moonlight tales by either elected or appointed persons about the whereabouts of their credentials and how the court adjudicated those matters.

“As a leading anti-corruption organisation and non-partisan human rights and development league, we call on INEC to be guided by the provisions of the Electoral Act and its guidelines,” he added.

The HEDA boss urged the electoral umpire to reject the submission of affidavits in place of certificates by candidates due to several controversies around swearing of affidavits, well known to the commission.

He insisted that an affidavit could not replace an institution’s certificate, adding that it only contains facts believed by the deponent to be true, and which should not stand in place of primary evidence.

Suraju continued: “We have been keenly following the developments around the submission of candidates’ names and credentials for the 2023 general elections by political parties.

“The most recent news is that of candidates claiming their school certificates are missing.

“Nigerians cannot be cowed by malicious and mendacious claims emanating from the political class. We believe that the commission’s guidelines towards preparation for the 2023 general elections to political parties and the public are clear enough on presentation of certificates.”

The anti-graft crusader maintained that no one is above the law.