The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has assured Nigerians that Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi off-cycle governorship elections would be conducted without any form of interference.

Ridadu, who said that the security agencies were fully prepared for the states’ elections, saying nothing is as important as free and fair election in a democracy and President Bola Tinubu-led government is ready to provide that.

Ribadu stated this at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections held on Friday at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja.

He said: “Mr President has given his orders. He said he wants to see free, fair, credible election and this is going to be the first election under his watch.

“He said that we should take this message to INEC and to Nigerians that he is going to be very much available to support you to make sure Nigeria have free and fair elections.

“I also to tell everyone including the politicians, nothing much important than to have a free and fair election, if we want this country is to move forward.

“He is a democrat, he believes in democracy. He will support you. Already we have seen it as the entire requirement we have putting out to him, he has given us the go ahead.

“The entire security forces and all our requirement has been met, the rest is for us to deliver,’’ he said.

He said that the security agencies would work with INEC to ensure that the election was free, fair and credible.

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“We want to give assurance to Nigerians that this election will be even better than what we have had in the past. This election is going to be free and fair.

“This election will be without interference. This election is going to be without violence. This election is going to be credible.

“It is going to be litmus test for us. Three important states, one in the North-Central, one in the South-East, one in the South -South and we are ready.

“We will provide what it takes to provide credible elections and we are impressed with the preparations we have seen from INEC and we will work together. Collectively it is our responsibility to deliver,” he said.

Ribadu commended INEC Chairman for his efforts toward improvement of Nigeria electoral process.

He said elections conducted so far under Yakubu had been progressively, improving and Nigeria now moving towards meeting expected standard.

Earlier in his remarks, Yakubu who is also the co-chair of ICCES urged the security to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence in the three state elections.

The Star