2023 Elections: “No one can buy my integrity” –INEC REC tells politicians

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami, has expressed his commitment to conduct the best election ever in the state in 2023, saying “nobody can buy my Integrity,”.

Attahiru-Madami stated this on Monday in Ilorin at a news conference against the backdrop of an allegation made against him by the state’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Prince Tunji Morounfoye.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Morounfoye, had at a press statement, alleged that the REC had  been compromised and was in a clandestine meeting with Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The REC described the accusation of Morounfoye as “unfounded and baseless”, adding that nobody could buy his conscience and integrity.

“I am a man of Integrity which I have guarded for over 40 years; no one can buy my conscience and integrity.

“I said so before the 2019 general elections and I repeat, nobody can buy my Integrity,” he said.

He stressed that there was no time that he had any clandestine meeting with the governor and challenged Morounfoye to provide evidence of such a meeting.

“My integrity, sincerity, openness, and transparency have been demonstrated in three elections which I conducted in Kwara; my integrity has been put to test in the three elections,” he added.

He listed the three elections to include the bye-election in Ekiti, Isin, Oke Ero, and Irepodun House of Reps election in Nov 2018, the 2019 general election, and the Patigi House of Assembly election in 2020.

Attahiru-Madami said that the 2019 elections in Kwara were adjudged the best in the country as it was free, fair, credible, and transparent, adding that it was accepted by the people as well as foreign and domestic observers.

He added that the accusation that he said in an  INEC management meeting that he hated  ex-Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki was totally false and  was a lie aimed at defaming him.

“I need proof in any of the management meetings where I said such words and who told them, I said so to provide evidence. Why should I hate Saraki or anyone else?.

“There are minutes of each management meeting and there is nowhere Saraki or anybody else’s name was mentioned,” he said.

“In the light of the above, I am giving Kwara PDP 48 hours to issue a public apology in Print and Electronic Media.

“After expiration, I will take a legal action for defamation of character and assassination of my integrity built over 40 years and has been part of my life proven here in Kwara since my assumption of office on July 25, 2018.

“I want to assure Kwarans that I will conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful election come 2023. I am for everyone in Kwara and not for any individual.

“If I could put my integrity to test in 2019 and came out to conduct the best election in Nigeria. I believe with the use of technology, my election performance will be better in 2023. (NAN)