INEC faces huge challenge in 2019, says Martins

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing a huge challenge ahead of 2019 than it did in 2015, Grand Patron of Legacy International Group Chief Kenny Martins has said.

He argued that INEC, as presently constituted, must surpass what it achieved under former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Martins spoke in an interview with The Nation during a meeting with a delegation of Legacy International Group, United Kingdom (UK), in Lagos.

He noted that Jonathan set in motion a process of election that had become the envy of many nations,  hence the President Muhammadu Buhari  owe the nation a duty to surpass that.

“We have seen how elections can be held perfectly, and so we do not want anything below the standard of 2015. It was Jonathan’s process that brought the current administration to power, and that means the present INEC cannot afford to perform poorly,” he said.

On the task before the commission, Martins said Nigerians in the Diaspora must be able to vote during the country’s elections.

He agreed that this might be too late to achieve in 2019, but that moving forward, it must be accomplished in 2023 general elections.

The businessman added that as part of the efforts to realise this, Legacy International is already mobilising a million signatures for the purpose.

Martins said with elections campaign underway, his group is looking forward to a campaign, where love would prevail and hate speech and mudslinging would not be the order of the day.

He noted that based on the substance of political parties’ campaigns and especially prayers, Legacy International would endorse a candidate to support.

Such candidate, he explained, will be one, whose planned programmes are supported by most Nigerians.

To be properly guided, Martin said the group is organising a national prayer for the success of the election and for peace to reign supreme in the country. The prayer, he said, will hold on December 14, at the Eagle Square in Abuja. The event is expected to have in attendance political leaders and the citizens.

The group’s coordinator in the UK,  Olawale Oguntoye, a retired Army officer, said Legacy was formed because of happenings in the country. He said those abroad are yearning to return to Nigeria to help move the country forward.

He added that the UK branch has requested and applied for approval for the establishment and running of Legacy Newspaper and Legacy Television in the kingdom.

“This two important media will come on stream immediately the government of United Kingdom graciously gives the green light,” Oguntoye said.

Besides, he said UK government and the United States (U.S.) have shown indication that the electoral commission would be supported for a successful election.

Besides, the coordinator said the body would register with INEC, ECOWAS and other bodies to actively monitor the elections.