By Nimi Princewill
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara State, Mallam Garba Atahiru Madami, has recently made stunning revelations into the enticing nature of his job at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking to newsmen shortly after his daughter’s wedding in the Niger State capital, Minna, Malam Madami further revealed that he refused financial inducements from Kwara politicians who were desperate to scuttle the outcome of the 2019 general elections in the state.
Madami was quoted as saying: “There was pressure by politicians who offered me money to compromise the 2019 general elections in Kwara state but I stood my ground and refused to give in.
“The nature of our job at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is too tempting.
“It is left between you and God to do the right thing and keep your integrity or compromise and lose your integrity. You may even go to jail,” he said.
He berated politicians with inordinate political desires for believing they could compromise anyone’s integrity with money.
“The politicians have money and some of them feel that they can buy anybody with the money.
“It is a matter of integrity, it is left for you to be careful and work transparently to keep your integrity.
“What I did in Kwara state before the elections were to go on air and tell the people that no amount of money can buy me.
“I made them to understand that their votes will count and was not ready to compromise,” he said.
Malam Madami also attributed the numerous pending cases before the elections petition tribunal across the country to lack of internal democracy by political parties and respect for their constitutions.
“I the various political parties respect their constitutions and do the needful you will have less to worry about,” he said.
The Kwara REC reiterated that his paramount objective was to make Nigeria and INEC proud by carrying out his assigned tasks with transparency.