From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Election Monitoring Coalition (EMC), an observer group, has commended the conduct of the Armed Forces of Nigeria during the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The observers said that its ground personnel went out to assess the conduct of the AFN on Saturday, and found them to have carried out their responsibilities with high ethical standards.
Its Director of Monitoring, Bello Yahuza and Director, Politics, Yewande Amusa, in a statement, premised their investigations on promises by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen LEO Irabor, that the AFN will not only remain apolitical, but will totally collaborate with the relevant security agencies in ensuring a peaceful election; to assess conduct of the elections in areas with security challenges; and determine the worthiness of insinuations that the military was going to play a biased role.
They said reports from different parts of the country indicated that the AFN kept to its promise and indeed not only was apolitical, but collaborated with other security agencies.
“Generally, observers reported that the security personnel behaved and conducted themselves professionally,” EMC said.
Yahoza gave kudos to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen LEO Irabor for building a military force with enviable records, especially in conduct during the campaign period.
He said that all those who made different insinuations targeted at the top echelon of the Armed forces before the election have now realized their error.
He further gave kudos to the AFN for peaceful conduct of polls in the North East and South East, saying nobody thought it would have been possible in the two regions.
He urged contestants in the remaining elections to play by the rules and accept the results in the interest of the nation.
“We note how troops nullified attempt by terrorists to disrupt elections in Mandara Mountains in Gwoza, Borno State.
“In Gombe soldiers recovered two ballot boxes from thugs who snatched them from the Government Science Secondary School in the Jekadafari area of the state.
“Across the country, it is a story of professional conduct by our troops. This indeed is commendable.
“EMC want to say without any reservations that the Armed Forces of Nigeria scored almost 100 percent in the Presidential elections, and we re certain that they will continue like that in the March 11, 2023 elections.”