The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed that the commission alone can’t guarantee credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria.

INEC acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Ekiti State, Dr Muslim Omoleke, said all the stakeholders including the police, political parties, politicians and voters must be ready to play by the rules and contribute their quotas towards ensuring a free, fair and credible election.

Speaking when he visited the state’s Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Omoleke said the request by interested Nigerians that there must be an improvement in the electoral system was not misplaced.

The INEC REC said: “Conduct of successful and credible elections is not the sole responsibility of INEC. INEC is just a principal stakeholder and other participants. Don’t forget that other stakeholders too have a lot to do.

“If an election is being conducted under a crisis-free and secured atmosphere, it means the security agencies have done well. If the campaigns before elections have not been violent, it means the politicians and political parties have played their own part well.

“Also, if an election is conducted without interference and the results are announced accurately and in line with the wishes of the people, it means INEC has done well. Even the reportage of events by the media goes a long way to make or mar the electioneering process.

“I want to say that Journalists in Ekiti showcased professionalism before and during the 2019 elections. The success of the last general elections cannot be ascribed to INEC alone. Here in Ekiti, we did not record any casualty, which showed that the election had been peacefully conducted and all stakeholders had done their best in the most patriotic way.

“We are here to show appreciation to journalists for accurate reports and display of patriotism as critical stakeholders in the electioneering process.”