Botched Polls Has Not Diminished My Confidence In Jega -Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has restated his confidence in the ability of Professor Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct credible elections for the country.

The President who was speaking to journalists at a photo exhibition in his honour on Tuesday also said the the Chairman of INEC did the right thing by postponing last Saturday elections because going ahead with it would have resulted in controversies that will put the credibility of the polls in doubt.

He therefore noted that the decision to postpone the elections was a demonstration that “that the country and the electoral body is totally committed to ensure that they conduct credible elections” especially since INEC could had proceeded with the polls without the results sheets and later enter the results at the collation centres, but it declined.

“What arrived late was the results sheet. The results sheet could have been distributed that night to everybody or probably late in the night, they could have entered the results.

“That would have meant that, at the polling units, probably they would have taken the materials to the collation Centres where they would have entered the results and that is what we are against, that is what INEC is against.

“We want to make sure that all results are entered there at the polling units and distributed to all the agents of the Political Parties and the candidates.

“So, if INEC wanted to conduct elections that could have been queried, it could have gone ahead to conduct the elections.

“What happened is another demonstration that the country and the electoral body is totally committed to ensure that they conduct credible elections.”

The President added that he will not hesitate to initiate the removal of Jega in conjunction with the National Assembly if at anytime he doubts his ability to continue to perform the functions he was saddled with as INEC Chairman.

“Until I do that, I am fully in his support and I know that he will do well,” Jonathan said.

The president further appealed to Nigerians not to be discouraged over the development but see it as a sacrifice for the country.

“It is a sacrifice that all of us are paying. I was also in the village, but I have to come back,” he said.

“We really regret what happened. A number of people spent money to go to their homes to vote, unfortunately it was cancelled.”

Jonathan therefore urged Nigerians to go out en masse to cast their votes in all the elections, reassuring Nigerians of his commitment to ensure that every vote counts.

Over 50 photographs of Jonathan taken during his campaign tour of the country by President Jonathan were displayed during the exhibition.

The photographs were taken by a former Reuters Photographer, Mr George Esiri.

By Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja