The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its operations are guided by the Electoral Act and not by political parties.

Gabriel Yomere, the resident electoral commissioner in Cross River, said this in Calabar during an interview.

Mr Yomere was reacting to calls by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to sign the election result sheets for Saturday governorship and state assembly elections in advance.

SDP had argued that the measure would help check and prevent irregularities during the election.

“Asking INEC to sign result sheets of an election that is yet to be conducted is laughable and uncalled-for. I see this as an expression of fear on the part of the political party that is making such a demand,” said the INEC representative. “Why not intensify your campaigns by going house-to-house ahead of the contest instead of staying behind to dictate to INEC to do your bidding?”

Mr Yomere added, “INEC is not under any obligation to act according to the dictates of any political party but will operate according to guidelines for the conduct of elections.”

In a letter, the SDP had urged INEC to sign the result sheets before the elections.

In the letter signed by its chairman in Cross River, Ekpeyong Ambo, the party said the move would reassure the stakeholders that the umpire would not compromise the results.

Mr Ambo stated that signing the result sheets would clear some political parties’ suspicion that the results of the March 18 elections were already in the hands of a particular political party.

“Signing the election result sheets will put to rest the suspicion and rumour peddled in some quarters that the result of the forthcoming March 18 elections may have been compromised by the electoral umpire,” Mr Ambo reasoned.

(NAN)