By David Onimsi Lawani
The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu has said the reason why the commission has not to devolve into nationwide registration of voters is because of a security challenge stressing that it is still assessing the situation and as soon as it improves, it will declare it open.
Mahmood made this assertion when the Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, paid him and the commission a visit at the national headquarters stating that the commission will continue to rely on the support of the agency for the protection of its facilities and staff.
The INEC chairman said the commission will be requiring the partnership of the agency as the 6th November off-season governorship poll in Anambra gets close. He said protection of INEC materials is key to conducting credible elections.
He said: ” The reason why we have not to devolve into the centers nationwide is essential because of security. And we have been advised to devolve into states and local governments offices. And then we will see how we will go further by assessing the security situation. And, so we have devolved to states and local governments so far so good. And we will continue to rely on the support of security and NSCDC in protecting our personnel and assets. And also the registrants themselves for the continuous voter’s registration exercise.
” The second point is that your visit is coming at a critical time. On the 6th of November, the commission is conducting a major election in Nigeria, the Anambra governorship election. Members NSCDC on the ground is already aware of the date fix for the election. And we look forward to partnering with NSCDC to ensure security for the transfer of materials for credible elections in Anambra state.
The electoral umpire reiterated that the commission will be needing the support of the agency as the election is due to be conducted into Lere constituency in Kaduna saying the collaboration with the NSCDC is very important.
” Very soon the commission will conduct a litmus test and I look forward to seeing you positively at the meeting which I believe is going to be the first meeting you are attending since your appointment as commandant of NSCDC.
” But beyond off-season elections like the Anambra governorship, the commission has also been conducting offseason elections. Quite a several bye-elections have been conducted. The next one is this weekend in Lere, Kaduna state. There is a federal constituency election schedule for the 14th of August. And we look forward to again collaborating with NSCDC in ensuring that the election goes on very well.
” I want us to work together. You have been in this office for about five months now as a commandant of the NSCDC. This meeting should have taken place earlier but so many things have happened between now and the time you request for this meeting. Let me thank you for your kind words. You are no longer my ex-student.
” But I think as head of one of the security agencies in this country. I think everything you are supposed to learn you have learned. Let work together in the best interest of our country. And I thank you also for reaffirming your commitment to the service of this country. And to the existing partnership with the NSCDC in the best interest of our democracy.
” You are a member of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security. And security and NSCDC have played a major role in the whole gamut of electoral activities in Nigeria. You have deployed your personnel to the commission. We have quite a number here. We are very happy with what you have done. You have also deployed for the protection of our offices and other assets across the country, not only in the headquarters. And you have also deployed during elections. The commission is most grateful for.
” Recently, when some of our facilities were attacked all over the country, the security and NSCDC were always there to provide support to personnel, and critical national assets. One of the Cardinal acts of the NSCDC in the protection of critical national assets and INEC facilities. And you have been playing that role very well. I wish to on behalf of INEC, extend our appreciation to you.
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” Your visit is coming at a time we have several activities either planned or ongoing. The first one is the continuous registration of voters. The CVR is now in its 7th week. Haven started on the 28th of June online. And on the 26th of July, the physical registration commenced. We consulted widely members of sisters stakeholders before the commission decided to commence registration in our states and local government offices, that is 808 locations before we then devolve into over 2600 centers that we plan to nationwide”, he noted.
Earlier the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi in his remarks said his purpose for visiting was to familiarize himself with the commission as a former ex-student of the National Chairman, adding that one of the acts of the agency is to protect national assets of the nation as provided by the act establishing the agency.
He said there is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is fighting an asymmetric war, therefore, urged the commission and its staff to be conscious of security saying recently some kidnapping attempt was foiled within the city center of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him: ” I am here to familiarise myself with him and the INEC as a commission because we are working for Nigeria. And I want to say on that, I am going to subject myself to my brother in terms of cooperation, full cooperation. My doors are going to be very open to you as I am to other distinguished commissions.
” My doors will be widely opened rendering assistance that is going to be so required by the commission, especially as par security. We need to be security conscious. That is the third reason why I am here. Anywhere, I visit, I used to give a tip on the security situation of the country.
” Nigeria is passing through a new phase of conflicts and that conflict is called asymmetric conflict. We are not conversant with it in this country. It is the same conflict that dealt with some countries, for decades before they were able to strategize and find a way of dealing with it.
” Asymmetric war is a war that is like a gorilla type of war. So we need to be mindful of how we move because these guys are serious. As you move, even on the streets don’t wind down your glass. Always lock your central lock. Because last week somebody was kidnapped around area one and our people rescue the person.
” Last week, our men also engaged some kidnappers on Lokoja Abuja road. They kill some and some escaped. The nation is passing through this phase that we have not seen before. So let us be very security conscious. And that is why they say if you see something you say something”, he said.
He however expressed deep feeling over the loss of some of his men in southeast and south-south pledging that the agency will continue to provide security for the national assets of the nation most especially the commission facilities.
” We are aware that because of this insecurity especially in the southeast and south, we are aware that you have lost some facilities. We are not also scared that they have killed many of my men who are protecting those facilities for you and equipment as a result of that carnage. I like to assure you that, we are going to strengthen and reinvigorate and encourage our men to continue to discharge their duties especially in the area of providing safety for your equipment nationwide. That I assure you.
“We have collectively, resolve that considering our roles, for the protection of critical national assets, that hence by the grace of God, any election you are going to conduct, it will be hitch-free and successfully conducted. We have re-strategize and I don’t want to divorce what we have mapped out but let me assure you that you will get our cooperation fully”, he said.
