David Lawani, Abuja
The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakuku has disclosed that the Commission is ready and prepared to conduct elections into the Governorship and State Assembly come March 18th saying that it has review its security preparations with security agencies.
Yakuku made this remarks during a meeting with Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security,ICCES in Abuja noting that the reviews became necessary in view of the need to adopt new strategies so as to stay ahead of the processes.
He maintained that elections will be conducted in 28 States while the remaining states will have off circle poll due to the fact that their dates are not the same and every need for its preparations cannot be taken for granted.
According to him: ” Exactly three weeks ago, we met to review security arrangements for the Presidential and National Assembly elections. Today, we are reviewing our preparations for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections holding on Saturday 18th March 2023. As I welcome you to this meeting, I wish to express the Commission’s appreciation to the security agencies and other members of ICCES for the professionalism of personnel and the generally peaceful conduct of the elections. We look forward to improved performance in the elections holding this weekend.
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” 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”, he stated.
