The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised alarm over the threat of cancellation of the 2023 general election due to the rising security challenges across the country.
This was made known on Monday by the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu while speaking at the validation of election security training resources held in Abuja, where he analyzed the impact of the security situation on the forthcoming election, noting that it faces a serious threat of cancellation should the insecurity across the country fail to improve.
- Yakubu, who was represented by the Chairman of the Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, explained that “if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate a constitutional crisis.”
INEC insists on election security
INEC, however, assured that it would not be leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel, materials, and processes.
- Mahmood said, “We all appreciate the fact that election security is vital to democratic consolidation through the provision of enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process.
- “Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
- “This is particularly significant to the commission given the current insecurity challenges in various parts of the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps members constitute the core of the polling unit election officials.
- “This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen.
- “Therefore, security personnel in particular and all elected officials, in general, must be security conscious and alert to unusual activities in their environment and must be fully equipped to deal with any challenge at all times.”
For the records
- Various stakeholders and event security forces had identified insecurity as the major threat to ensuring free, fair and credible elections across the country in 2023.
- INEC facilities across the country and even its staff have been under violent attacks by these criminals with serious threats to the ongoing distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
