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As governorship election holds in 28 states and 993 state assemblies across the country Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties and their candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see elections as a contest and not war.
The commission also urged them to refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of INEC’s personnel, observers, the media and service providers.
Speaking Tuesday at a meeting of the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu said he expected a coordinated deployment plan in synergy from the Police and other security, intelligence, law enforcement and safety agencies.
Yakubu stated that the commission was encouraged by the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba, to State Commands to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously.
The INEC boss stated that the commission looked forward to receiving the case files, adding that it would immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest.
“The governorship elections will hold in 28 States of the Federation. As you are aware, governorship elections in eight states (Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun states) are held off-cycle and therefore not conducted during the general election. However, elections will be conducted for all the 993 State constituencies nationwide.
“Our state offices have made available to the Nigeria Police Force, being the lead agency in election security, the delimitation details for both the governorship and State Assembly elections, including locations of Polling Units and Collation Centres.
“On that basis, we expect a coordinated deployment plan in synergy with other security, intelligence, law enforcement and safety agencies.
“Only yesterday, the commission held a virtual meeting with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in which we reviewed preparations for the state elections.
“In addition to election technology, logistics and a host of other issues, security was also discussed. We will present some of the issues at this meeting for further discussion and, most importantly, appropriate action.
“The governorship and State Assembly elections this weekend involves more constituencies than the national elections held about three weeks ago.
Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (1 Presidential, 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the State elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 Governorship and 993 State Assembly seats). There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect.
“They are also local elections involving keen contests. It is therefore important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war.
“They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers.
“The commission is encouraged by the directive to State Commands by the Inspector General of Police to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously. We look forward to receiving the case files. We will immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest,” Yakubu told the meeting.
Also speaking, National Security Adviser (NSA) and ICCES Co-Chairman Major-General Babagana-Mohammed Monguno(retd), warned those intent on disrupting the process to have a rethink or have themselves to be blamed.
He said security agencies would continue to work round the clock to guarantee hitch-free polls and ensure no one takes laws into his or her own hands.
“The elections we are going into on Saturday is going to be much more complicated, contextually they are going to be different. First of all, we’re going to have 1,021 constituencies meaning more people. Obviously, the dynamics would be much more different than the elections that were just concluded.
“While commending the efforts of the various political parties and the individuals that participated in the last election, especially those of them that callex for peace, I want to also urge individuals, especially at the state level, to demonstrate the same level of maturity, the same level of discipline by calling their supporters to conduct themselves in a manner that is congruent with citizens of the larger Nigerian society.
“Of course there are channels for laying complaints and addressing these complaints for the security agencies. I have been talking with Inspector General of Police, who is the head of the lead agency in the security of elections.
“So far, so good we do not envisage anything that is going to be terrible or apocalyptic, in terms of the next few days. But that does not mean that we should all do away with our state of readiness.
“We must comply with the rules. We must also allow everyone to exercise their fundamental rights as citizens of this country. What we do not want to happen is for anybody to take the law into his or her own hands. I want to be very, very clear on this. We are going to give the maximum support to all entities involved in this process,” Monguno said.
Kano CP on flashpoints
Meanwhile, the Kano state Commissioner of Police, Mammmam Dauda has read riot act to miscreants and agents of chaos to prepare for the worst time as the command would never condone any act capable of breaching peace in the name of election.
Speaking to newsmen in Kano, Tuesday, Mammmam stated that for the objective to be fully achieved, the command was set to deploy about 18, 748 personnel for effective policing to be ensured.
According to him, the measure has become necessary on the face of the despicable utterances of some bellicose politicians and their followers whose utterances should not be under estimated positing that the personnel to be deployed would be guided by their professional responsibility
He said: “I want to make it clear to everyone that the Police have no safe haven for hoodlums who would love to take solace in causing chaos and that those who felt that they were recalcitrant in displaying their criminal tendency would be shown the way out
“We are fully conversant with the existential threat of the so called major flash points our men would be effectively deployed and we are ready to take appropriate action who ever think he can break the law with impunity would pay the price of his action.”
British envoy speaks
And amid litigations trailing the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 25, 2023, the outgoing British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Catriona Laing has described it as fascinating and offered future assuredness for democratic governance in the country.
The British envoy, who made the declaration at the Senate wing of the National Assembly on Tuesday while fielding questions from journalists after courtesy visit on the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, said despite contestation on the process of the election by some political actors , it was fascinating and portends bright future for the country .
“I made very good friends and I love Nigerian music a lot. The culture here is so rich; secondly the politics in Nigeria is so fascinating.
“I was here till the last election and I finished with this election and I’m impressed with Nigeria’s democratic journey.
“Yes, a bit set back but overall, I see this as positive and Nigeria should be proud but with a remarkable difference when I came in 2019.
“Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa. The world watches your progress to democracy.
“Though there were some disappointments in the last election but overall, every Nigerian should be proud because since 1999 Nigeria has been on the right track as far as participatory democracy is concerned.
“The election here is very different and fascinating as you are moving to a three party system or may be even four. I think Nigerians as well should realise that their votes count,” she said.
Aside election, the British envoy also saluted Nigerians for being resilient at all times of difficulties.
“There had been some tough times. We had COVID-19, insecurity has got lot more since I was here. Nigerian people are incredibly resilient. I remain very optimistic to Nigeria’s future. So it’s been very wonderful tour and very sad to be going”, she stressed.
Earlier at the courtesy visit, Ahmad Lawan in his remarks, commended the British envoy on her positive disposition to the country.
Source: Blueprint.ng | Read More
