Presidency Insists Presidential Election Was Free, Fair

The presidency, yesterday, insisted that the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections, won by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, was a free and fair exercise despite misgivings in some quarters.

Presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, who appeared on the Morning Show, an Arise News breakfast show, however, confirmed THISDAY’s lead story of yesterday that some governors were trying hard to win tomorrow’s election by all means possible, but expressed confidence in the ability of the security agencies to contain any threat to the process.

Shehu also said the raging controversy over the mode of transmitting election results was solely at the purview and liberty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), although the commission had assured Nigeria and the world from the get-go that it would embrace the electronic transmission of results.According to him, the presidency believed that the presidential election was free and fair and an improvement on the previous exercise with 98 per cent of Nigerians casting their votes without intimidation and oppression.

Further dwelling on the lead story that some governors were determined to win by all means, he noted that the security situation in Nigeria had improved following the recent naira redesign, which he claimed aided in reducing kidnapping in recent times.Reiterating that the federal government was committed to ensuring a free and fair election tomorrow, he said the security agencies were aware of the desperation of some governors and reassured the people that there would be a fair and secure election across Nigeria.