The Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Laure Beaufils has declared that the British Government will work with relevant stakeholders to ensure peaceful and credible polls across Nigeria in 2019.
Speaking after a closed door meeting with Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Beaufils stated that the technical progress achieved in the Osun State elections should be improved upon next year.
She said: “If you look at the Osun State elections that just took place, there has been a lot of technical progress in respect to INEC.
“We have seen significant progress which we hope can be replicated across the country in 2019. It is something that we are looking at and we are working with INEC for further progress.
“It is a combination of working with security agencies and INEC and there is an element of political will. The decision makers of the two political parties should demonstrate their political commitment to address these issues”.
She noted that she discussed the process of ensuring that the 2019 general elections in Rivers State are peaceful and credible with Wike and leaders of the APC.
Also speaking, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike said the state was fully committed to peaceful and credible polls.
Wike urged the international community to prevail on INEC and security agencies not to interfere with the voting process in the course of the 2019 elections.
He said: “Let them come out totally that they are willing to tell the government of Nigeria, to tell the security agencies, to tell INEC, do the needful. Don’t interfere in the electoral process.
”Let the people determine what will happen. What their fate will be. If that happens, I can assure you that we will not have any violence. Election will be free and fair”.
Wike wondered why the security agencies cannot replicate the professionalism they displayed in Osun State, in Rivers State.
“Our experience is that we don’t have trust in these agencies and we don’t want to be deceived because of the interest they have in Rivers State.
”I wonder if these security agencies will be committed to Rivers State, the way they were in Osun State. Nobody has come out in Osun State to accuse security agencies of being openly involved. Why can’t they do that in Rivers State “, Wike said.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has called on Nigerians to work diligently towards sacking the non-performing APC Federal Government, which has failed to deliver on her campaign promises.
In an interview with newsmen at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, Governor Wike said all Nigerians must work in unison to ensure that the APC is defeated in the national elections in 2019.
He said: the opposition groups need cooperation and understanding of certain things. It is allowed in politics. What that means is to say, look, we have the capacity to put all efforts together to remove this bad government.
“That is good for Nigeria. Coming together to move Nigeria forward is the way to go. Each group would bring their programmes and form a national agenda. We do not want to do it alone but work together so Nigeria can move forward. It should be encouraged further and that is what I stand for.”
Governor Wike urged Nigerians to participate actively in the 2019 general elections because it is no longer wise to stand aloof under the present circumstances.
“Nigerians do not need to be aloof. This will play into the hands of those doing bad. People should come out and take their stand. Vote and insist on your vote. No struggle is easy but every struggle takes life. That is the way to change your country. To go to sleep is dangerous because it allows a bad leader to remain.
“I tell Nigerians, do not be intimidated. Everybody has to make sacrifice. The media played a role in 2015, why not now! Have you been so intimidated?” Governor Wike said.
The governor said that Nigerians should not be carried away by the pronouncements of INEC on neutrality, as they are expected to remain vigilant to ensure the desired electoral success by 2019.
“I do not want to be carried away by what INEC chairman says because that story has been there over the years. What matters is evidence of what has been put on ground for free and fair elections? Can he say no to the ruling party?”, he said.
Speaking on projects execution, Governor Wike said that the immediate past APC administration in the state abandoned several projects because of their culture of inflation of contract costs.
He said: “What I discovered was that, so many of the contract costs were inflated. When you inflate contracts, it becomes difficult to finish. “
The governor said that since taking over, his administration remains committed to the transformation of the state, despite the economic challenges.
“He said: What is important is commitment. If you love your people and you are committed, you will achieve these things. It is not just about money, though money is important. Hardly any project being done today that I cannot tell you about the daily update on that project. I do not wait for the commissioner of work or special adviser on projects to brief me. . Some chief executives sat here and relied on what their aides told them.
“For me, I go and see with my two eyes. If your aides know you go there daily, they will not want to give you false briefs and everybody would take his/her job seriously”.
The name ‘Mr Project’ is as a result of deep commitment to serve our people through infrastructure revival and rebuilding things that had gone down for long. The Vice President only said this governor deserved this. That is what keeps us going. Yesterday, I was on inspection. If not for this interview now, I would have gone for inspection. It is not about money”, he said.