Presidency dismisses PDP’s accusations over meeting with INEC, Police

The Presidency says President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police was geared towards ensuring credible governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa.

A statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, dismissed PDP’s insinuation regarding the meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP had earlier said the meeting was part of plans by the APC to rig the forthcoming governorship elections in the two states.

"The President called the meeting cited by the PDP to warn in particular INEC and the Police, to prepare to give the nation a credible election.

"He said he expected nothing short of a free, fair and credible election.

"He said he had suffered election manipulation in 2003, 2007 and 2011 and would not like to have any Nigerian go through that again.

"He also warned against the intimidation of voters in any way and vowed that he was prepared to move with all the forces available to him against anyone who undermines the rights of any citizen.

"The meeting was short and straight to the point. It ended after five minutes.

"Furthermore, he asked the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, if he had anything to say and Osinbajo had added nothing to what the President said,’’ the statement had quoted Shehu as saying.

"They started with the courts, then the EFCC, then on to the Police and now they are on the one-week old INEC.

"When will PDP allow our national institutions to do their job?’’ he said.