Coalition urges INEC to surpass 2015 landmarks in upcoming elections

A coalition, under the aegis of Legacy Initiative International, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to surpass the commission’s achievements in the 2015 elections.

Grand patron of the association, Dr. Kenny Martins, who made the call at the weekend, said anything short of credible elections in 2019 might bring the country into a state of anarchy.

He expressed concern that foreigners were holding Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), and urged the commission to ensure that the cards were retrieved from them.

On restructuring, Martins said it is the best for the country, especially as it seems to be the preferred choice by the majority.

He said: “INEC of today has a challenge before it. No matter what we say of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s INEC, it delivered a near perfect election, and that was what brought President Muhammadu Buhari into power.

“It therefore beholden, compelling and a challenge for the current INEC to surpass what Jonathan did. He did a beautiful thing by setting an electoral process in place, the combination of which is the envy of other countries.”

Also, its United Kingdom branch has disclosed that it applied to operate a Legacy Newspaper and Television in the UK.

The group said the two media outfits would come on stream immediately the government of the UK grants their request.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has urged Nigerians to pray for God-fearing leader to emerge from the forthcoming general elections.

He made the call yesterday in Abuja during a special service by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) to commemorate the 2018 World AIDS Day.

Onaiyekan advised Nigerians to continue to pray for peace during and after the election, adding that that the situation in the northeast remains worrisome.

Speaking on “Know your status,” he expressed concern that some well armed people are holding the nation to ransom, which is an indication that we’re not on the right track.”

The cleric called on politicians to look after the welfare of Nigerians, and not just for their fat salaries and allowances.

He expressed concerns that Nigerians keep doing the same thing and still expect change, adding that it was time for them to do things differently by getting involved in politics, so that the system could be cleaned.

Chairman of NACA, Mrs. Pauline Tellen, stressed the need for Nigerians to have their status checked for HIV.

She disclosed that about 1,090,233 people are receiving anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria as at June this year.