The United States of America has said the credibility of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega alone cannot bring the much desired change to the conduct of elections in the country. In a statement on the US policy towards, Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs, Johnnie Carson said the appointment of Jega alone cannot improve the conduct of elections in a country with long history of flawed polls.

He said “as we have seen this past weekend one man alone cannot overcome significant systemic and logistical challenges, nor can one person or one electoral event transform a political culture in which stolen elections and disregard for basic democratic principles have been the norm for decades. “The logistical challenges and inevitable confusion associated with the administration of elections in a country of Nigeria’s size and population—not to mention its poor infrastructure—also create opportunities for political manipulation. And some politicians have acted in ways to make proper electoral oversight all the more difficult.”

Carson said the US is concerned over the spate of violence in the build up to the polls saying “Although the level of violence associated with the 2011 election might, in some locations, appear diminished from what we witnessed in 2007, any election violence is unacceptable, and it casts a dark shadow over the entire electoral process. Assassinations of candidates, bombings, riots, stoning of motorcades, other forms of political hooliganism, are to be condemned. The spoilers must not be allowed to prevail.”