CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has, again, dismissed the allegation that he is under pressure to resign.

Speaking on Monday during a town hall meeting in Abuja, Jega said the electoral body was focused on ensuring that the general election conformed to acceptable standards.

“I have a job to do and it would be a disservice to Nigerians for me to resign,” he said.

“I am not under any pressure. I have absolutely no reason to resign, because everybody in INEC is focused on the election that we have to conduct for this country.

“There have been all sorts of demands, either on my resignation or even my removal, but nobody has told me that I have been removed and, as far as I am concerned, I have a lot to do and I have to focus on that,” he added.

The INEC chairman said it was not true that he was being forced to proceed on a terminal leave, saying, “terminal leave is an option, a grace period given to anyone to go on leave before he finally leaves office.”

According to him, “as I have said earlier, I have a job to do till April 11. Terminal leave is not an option. Nobody has asked me to proceed on terminal leave other than what I read in the newspapers.”

While stating that the call for his resignation was politically motivated, he said, “I want to assure Nigerians that  a lot of things being said are diversionary.”

He assured the nation that the commission was ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections that would meet the yearning and the aspiration of all Nigerians and the international community.

This came as Jega clarified that voters were free to stay back at the polling centres after casting their votes until the election results were duly announced, provided they would behave themselves in orderly manner.

Jega also expressed satisfaction over the improving security situation in the troubled north-eastern part of the country, ahead the general election.

Professor Jega, at a meeting organised in Abuja by Reinvent Media, in conjunction Ford Foundation and Kukah Centre, as part of preparations for the general election, said “we are ready and prepared for the elections and we will meet the aspirations of Nigeria. We will only appeal to politicians not to divert the attention of the commission.”

While explaining that the permanent voter cards (PVCs) and smart card readers would add value to the general election, Jega said “we are ready for peaceful, credible and transparent elections to be put to use with the help of the six weeks rescheduling. We are adequately prepared to provide free and fair elections that is better than that of 2011.”

He then appealed to Nigerians to accept the innovation being introduced by the commission with a positive attitude, in the overall interest of the country.

On the  position of the commission on the claim by the Young Democratic Party (YDP) that the court had ruled, compelling the commission to recognise it in the elections, Jega said the non-registration of the YDP would have no impact on the forthcoming March 28 presidential and National Assembly and April 11 governorship and state assembly elections.

He explained further that the commission had already appealed against the order of the Federal High Court, as well as a stay of execution, adding that the same court had even said it did not make such order.

Jega also clarified the use of military personnel during the elections, stating that it was expected that there would be three police personnel at the polling stations, insisting that “no armed policeman is allowed within the polling units.”

He expressed satisfaction on the distribution of the PVCs, which, he said, was now over 81 per cent, stating  that during the Ekiti State governorship election, PVC collection was at about 65 per cent, while in other governorship elections conducted by the commission, not more than 30 per cent of the eligible voters voted.

Jega pointed out that only the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe would vote according to their constituencies and ruled out voting right for the IDPs outside the country.