Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned that if attacks on its facilities attacks go into January and February; it may be difficult to recover.
This was disclosed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye, on Monday in Abuja.
INEC revealed last week that it has suffered 50 attack incidents so far since 2019.
Okoye noted that INEC recently recorded losses in the attack on its office in Abeokuta South Local Government in Ogun, urging that the attacks recorded in 2022 were systematic and coordinated to derail lNEC from conducting a free, fair, credible, and transparent election, stating if it continues, it may be difficult to recover.
- “So all these attacks that have taken place, we have the capacity to recover and we are going to recover because we are already reprinting the permanent voter’s cards that were lost during the inferno.
- “We are also replacing the voting cubicles and ballot boxes that were lost, we are also trying to rent offices for the ones that we cannot repair.
- “But if these attacks go into January and February, it may be difficult for us to recover from those attacks.
He also noted that candidates must meet before that candidate can be declared as the winner of any election and INEC has secured assurances from security agencies/
- “This is because if you look at section 134 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, it has a threshold that a candidate must meet before that candidate can be declared as the winner of any election.
- “So we do not want these attacks to continue, we don’t want them to persist.
- “But we have the assurance from the various security agencies that they are going to dominate the environment, neutralise these attacks”.
He added INEC has made it clear to the Government that all its offices must be declared as high priority.
- “So we do not want any distraction at this point in time and that is why we have made it very clear to the National Assembly that all INEC offices shall and must be declared as high-priority areas that need adequate protection and safety.
- “The Nigerian people deserve to go into the election with a clear conscience, with a clear mind. We don’t want people to go into the election with fear and anxiety because that will not make for a credible election.
- “But in terms of our own preparations, in terms of delivering on our mandate of organising, undertaking, and supervising election, we are on top of the situation and we are not going to disappoint the Nigerian people,’’ he said.
In case you missed it
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission revealed it has suffered 50 attack incidents so far since 2019.
INEC disclosed this in an infographic statement released Friday evening via Twitter and seen by Nairametrics.
The year 2020 saw the highest number of attacks at 22, while 2022 has seen the least attacks at 8.
- INEC revealed that all 8 attacks in 2022 have happened in just 5 states which are, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Enugu, and Ebonyi.
- All causes for attacks this year were tagged as ” Unknown Gunmen/Hoodlums”.
- Imo state had the most attacks this year, at 3, happening at the INEC LGA offices in Orlu, Oru West, and Owerri.
