INEC Urges Security Agencies to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence ..As NSA assures of adequate security in the Nov 11 Governorship Elections

Oru Leonard 

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has called on security agencies to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence.

Professor Yakubu made the call on Friday in his opening remarks during the quarterly consultative meeting of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), made up of the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tuinubu and Security Agencies at Abuja.

He said, The three States of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi are not the easiest States in Nigeria to conduct elections. The difficult geographical terrain and prevailing insecurity are compounded by negative mobilisation by political actors, especially since the commencement of campaign in public on 14th July 2023. Our message to politicians is that they should call their candidates and supporters to order. Violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process must stop.

“However, ultimate responsibility for election security lies with the security agencies. Our message to the security agencies is to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence. This is the surest way to guarantee a safe environment for the peaceful conduct of elections and electoral activities. In doing so, security personnel on electoral duty should remain neutral and committed to the established professional code of conduct and rules of engagement.”

INEC Boss appreciated the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, for hosting the meeting as Co-Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), and for providing leadership by ensuring coordination and synergy among the security agencies. We will continue to work together to ensure a more secure environment for elections in Nigeria.

He noted that by doing so, the NSA is maintaining the tradition of alternating the meetings between INEC Headquarters and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Speaking the Co- Chairman of ICCES, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, who said that nothing is as important as free and fair election in a democracy. assured that government is ready to provide all it will take to get succeed as the Mr President Bola Tinubu has given his orders to see free, fair, credible election.

“This is going to be the first election that is going to be under his watch. He said that we should take this message to INEC and to Nigerians that he is going to be very much available to support you to make sure Nigeria will have free and fair elections.
“Also to tell everyone including the politicians, nothing much important than to have a free and fair election, if we want this country is to move forward. He is a democrat, he believes in democracy. He will support you. Already we have seen it the entire requirement we have putting out to him he has given us the go ahead.
The entire security forces and all our requirement has been met, the rest is for us to deliver.
“We want to give assurance to Nigerians that this election will be even better than what we have had in the past. This election is going to be free and fair”, Ribadu said.