We will not succumb to pressure - Obasanjo

Feb 16, 2016

The ex-leader of Nigeria noted that although observers play a significant role in an election

The head of the Commonwealth election observers and former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo has promised that his team will not succumb to any 'pressure' to write lopsided reports about Thursday's national polls to suit partisan interests. 

"The Commonwealth election observers' team is not here to serve partisan interests. I am not going to sell my soul to satisfy anyone or anything," Obasanjo said.   

The former leader of Africa's most populous nation implored Ugandans to turn out in large numbers at polling stations to cast their votes because the language and contents of the reports will be shaped by the voters' response and conduct of the process.

"There is no law against voting in this country and all those who want to vote should come in big numbers to cast their votes. At the end of the day, we want to deliver the report as we see the process," he added. He was addressing the press in Kampala on Tuesday.

However, the ex-leader of the West African country noted that although observers play a significant role in an election, they cannot overturn verdicts of the electoral commissions.

"We can state what we have seen but we cannot change the results declared. We are only observers; we cannot neither stop voting nor the counting of results and declaration," said the 79 year old former head of state. 

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