From: Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Prof. Mansur Usman Malumfashi has stated that the engagement of University professors and academics by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conduct of general elections in the country was because of the confidence repose in them by the electoral body.
‘The academics were involved because of the confidence that the election agencies have in them and the generality of the Nigeria population,’ Malumfashi who is of the Faculty of Education, Abubakar Tabawa balewa University, Bauchi, disclosed.
Malumfashi while interacting with journalists in Bauchi, argued that the Academicians still have that iota of integrity, that iota of honesty that is why they are involved in the elections.
‘But I’m not saying they are 100 per cent foolproof, there may be cases here and there, I’m sure there might be one, two, or three cases where academicians were found wanting in the process of conducting the election,’ he stated.
‘But I want to say that it is the belief of the generality of the Nigerian people and election agencies that yes academicians can do better that is why they were entrusted with the assignment of presiding over the elections at various levels in the country.
‘So I think they are not doing badly. You can even see from the presentation of the results. Some are doing it well with full confidence but somebody, a professor for that matter who could not read his results and make meaningful presentation, this really speaks very bad of his position.
‘If you conducted an election and you cannot present the result, then there is something underneath.
‘But all together I want to believe that if elections are presided over and announced by academicians, it will still have some resemblance of integrity and honesty”.