By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Apparently disturbed by the spate of electoral violence at campaign rallies and attacks on its offices nationwide, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has posited that security agencies and perhaps the political class hold key to peaceful elections in 2023.
This is even as he has expressed his disappointment over the increasing cases of electoral violence across the country and the recent attacks on the Commission’s offices in Abeokuta in Ogun state and Ede in Osun state respectively.
Yakubu who spoke at the emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja on Friday, said that the already charged political atmosphere does not give anyone something to cheer ahead the 2023 general election.
The meeting brought together security, safety and other agencies responsible for securing the process and ensuring peaceful elections in Nigeria.
Speaking directly to the members of ICCES led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno, the INEC Chairman who is the Co-Chair of ICCES warned of the danger of not tackling the twin cases of electoral violence and attacks on the Commission’s offices by the security agencies.
Said he: Understandably, Nigerians expect a decisive action from ICCES. It is important that we move swiftly to apprehend perpetrators, prosecute them as required by law and reinforce security around election officials and electoral infrastructure around the country”.
“As we have stated on several occasions, election is a multi-stakeholder activity involving not just INEC and the security agencies. The political class plays perhaps the most critical role in ensuring peaceful elections. We must all rise to the occasion. Nigerians are watching us. The world is watching us. We must never disappoint them”.
Yakubu told the meeting that two developments which happened this week necessitated the emergency meeting, pointing out that the first was the simultaneous attacks on INEC Local Government Area offices in Abeokuta South in Ogun State and Ede South Local Government office in Osun State.
Said he: “the attack in Abeokuta South happened around 1.15am while that of Ede happened around 6.00am yesterday Thursday 10th November 2022. Our immediate conclusion is that they may not be isolated, but we leave this determination to the security agencies who are investigating the incidents. Secondly, the spate of attacks during electioneering campaigns by political parties is increasing rather than decreasing”.
“While the damage in the attack in Ede South was minimal, that of Abeokuta South was extensive. Materials destroyed include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 8 electric power generators, 57 election bags, 30 megaphones, 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and a host of other assorted items such as stamps and stamp pads”.
The INEC boss however said that the Commission is taking urgent steps to repair the damage to the building and replace the facilities in the Ede South Local Government Area so that the office becomes functional again immediately.
For the Abeokuta South Local Government Area office, he said the destruction was total consequent upon the Commission is relocating its staff to the old State office (also known as INEC Office Annex) in Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta.
According to him: “All activities involving the 15 Registration Areas (Wards) and 445 Polling Units in Abeokuta South Local Government Area will henceforth be coordinated from the new location in Oke-Ilewo. Similarly, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ogun State has been directed to compile the Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) of all the 65,699 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) lost in the attack from our database and submit the record for immediate reprint”.
“We want to assure affected registered voters in Abeokuta South that no one will be disenfranchised as a result of this dastardly act”.
Turning to the spate of physical attacks during the ongoing political campaigns and rallies, Yakubu said the Commission has so far tracked 50 incidents across 21 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“These unhappy occurrences are coming just a little over one month into the election campaign which is scheduled to last for about five months from 28th September 2022 to 23rd February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and from 12th October 2022 to 11th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and Houses of Assembly)”.
“The Commission is worried that if no urgent and decisive steps are taken, the attacks will intensify as we approach the election date. As we all know, a peaceful campaign heralds a peaceful election. We need to take decisive steps to stem the ugly trend”, the INEC Chairman said.
Yakubu posited that: “As a body, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) brings together security, safety and other agencies responsible for securing the process and ensuring peaceful elections in Nigeria”.
“Understandably, Nigerians expect a decisive action from ICCES. It is important that we move swiftly to apprehend perpetrators, prosecute them as required by law and reinforce security around election officials and electoral infrastructure around the country”.
He also said: “the Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that we remain committed to delivering credible elections in spite of the challenges. The attempt to sabotage or weaken our resolve will not deter us from conducting transparent elections in which only the votes cast by Nigerians on Election Day will determine winners of elections”.
Also speaking at the emergency meeting, the NSA (Monguno) said no individual or political party would be allowed to disrupt 2023 elections just as he advised those using some of the criminal elements in the society to cause violence to stop forthwith. He vowed to deal with them ruthlessly.
Monguno also said President Muhammadu Buhari has already given directives to all the security agencies to deal with electoral violence.
The security agencies that attended the emergency meeting include the Police, Army Airforce. DSS, Federal Fire Service, amongst others.
