The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State in last year's poll, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), has scored the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) low in the conduct of the elections.

He said INEC fell short of what was required of it after spending N84 billion on the polls.

The Lagos-based lawyer told reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, that "INEC has not met the expectations of many Nigerians."

He said: "You cannot say the conduct of last year's election was better than that of 2007, yet N84 billion was spent. INEC still needs a lot of improvement. It should make an assessment of the last elections and make corrections where necessary. This is what Nigerians expect from the commission," he said.

He said despite the Supreme Court judgment dismissing the ACN and his appeal, the quest for a better Kwara State would continue.

His words:  "You are all aware of the Supreme Court's decision, which dismissed our appeal against the election held on April 26 last year. The apex court's decision was not that there were no irregularities, but that, in its view, they were not substantial enough to have affected the outcome of the poll. 

"The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. It has spoken and we cannot question its decision. There is no further right of appeal to the Supreme Court's decision. So, in the circumstance, we accept its decision. 

"While that decision ends our legal challenge, the agitation for good governance and struggle for the liberation of Kwara continue."