The Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Chief Timothy Ibitoye, on Wednesday gave an assurance that INEC would conduct free, fair and credible elections in the state.

He gave the assurance when he received executive members of the PDP in the state led by the Chairman, Iyiola Oyedepo, in his office.

Ibitoye, who described INEC as an unbiased umpire, said the commission was established to serve political parties.

"INEC is established to serve the political parties by way of conducting free and fair elections. If the political parties are not there, INEC will have no work to do," he said.

He called on political parties to be actively involved in the programmes of the commission, particularly those on public enlightenment.

"I believe that enlightenment campaign at party level should be more vigorous as it is more acceptable to the people because political parties are closer to the people than INEC.

"When parties say something, the electorate will believe and they will want to adhere to whatever directives that are given," he said.

Ibitoye also advised political parties to discharge their duties responsibly to the electorate.

INEC, he added, would regularly invite parties to meetings in order to enlighten them on the commission's programmes.

He also said INEC had produced code of conduct manual for parties and appealed to them to cooperate with the commission.

Ibitoye underscored the need for political parties to study the document in order to ascertain what was prohibited.

Earlier, Oyedepo said the party's officials had visited the commission to express its appreciation over its role in the party's congresses.

He said the role played by INEC during the congresses indicated that the commission was committed to a thriving democracy.

"We have not come to INEC to beg for favour; all we have come for is for INEC to be an unbiased umpire in the conduct of the coming general elections," he said.

Oyedepo, who noted that INEC had improved in performance, urged it to provide a level playing field for each political party.

He gave an assurance that the PDP in the state would adhere strictly to INEC's electoral rules and regulations. (NAN)