PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, inaugurated two new commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with a commitment that the electoral body will operate with a free hand in the conduct of 2011 general election.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he counselled the new appointees, Dr Abubakar Oniyangi and Mrs Amina Zakari, to cooperate with the chairman of the commission and other members of its hierarchy, so as to ensure smooth conduct of its affairs.

According to him, “we have given you the free will to do that and we don’t want Nigerians to hear that someone will say his legs and hands are tied. Nobody has tied anybody’s legs. Make sure you work as a team with others that have already taken their oath so as to give Nigerians what they want.”

President Jonathan, who noted that the new commissioners were drawn from medical profession, charged them proffer remedies for the nation’s electoral ills.

“It is a very unique ceremony because incidentally, both of them are from the medical profession, one a pharmacist and the other a doctor. You have been treating Nigerians for this period after leaving the university. Now we are giving you a responsibility to treat Nigerians again, but this time it is not to treat pathogens,” Jonathan said.