Nigerians have been reassured by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu that no intervention of any kind would be allowed during the off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi.
At the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on the governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi, which took place on Friday at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja, Ribadu made this statement.
He said that in order to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election, the security services would collaborate with INEC.
We wish to reassure the people of Nigeria that this election would surpass previous ones in quality. There will be a free and fair election this year.
“There will be no meddling in this election.” Violence is not going to occur during this election. There will be credibility to this election.
That will serve as a litmus test for us. Three key states—one in the South-East, one in the South-South, and one in the North-Central—are ready.
“We are impressed with the preparations we have seen from INEC, and we will work together to provide what it takes to provide credible elections.” It is our collective duty to deliver, he declared.
Nothing in a democracy is more important than a free and fair election, and President Bola Tinubu’s administration is prepared to deliver that, according to Ridadu, who claimed that the security agencies were fully equipped for the state polls.
““The President has issued his directives. This will be his first election overseeing a free, fair, and legitimate election, he declared.
He advised us to convey to INEC and the Nigerian people that he will be readily available to assist them in ensuring that the country holds free and fair elections.
“I also want to tell everyone, including the politicians, that if we want this country to advance, having free and fair elections is the most important thing.”
He supports democracy and is a democrat. He’ll be there for you. He has already granted us permission after we presented him with all of our requirements.
“Everything we needed, including the security forces, has been provided; we just need to deliver the rest,” he declared.
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Ribadu praised INEC Chairman for his efforts to enhance the voting process in Nigeria.
He claimed that the elections held under Yakubu had improved gradually and that Nigeria was already approaching the anticipated level.
Yakubu, who is also the co-chair of ICCES, had earlier in his speech called on the security forces to act decisively against those who have been involved in electoral violence during the three state elections.
He claimed that due to their challenging topography and pervasive insecurity, Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi were not the easiest States in Nigeria to hold elections in.
Yakubu claimed that these were made worse by political actors’ negative mobilisation, particularly when the public campaign began on July 14.
““The security agencies bear the ultimate duty for maintaining electoral security. We want the security services to respond forcefully to anyone who instigates violence during elections.
“This is the most reliable method of ensuring a secure atmosphere for the orderly conduct of elections and related activities.
“In the process, election security personnel should maintain impartiality and adhere to the established professional code of conduct and rules of engagement,” Yakubu stated.
He urged state legislators in the election-planning states to summon their nominees and supporters to order.
According to the INEC Chairman, there has to be an end to violence and other anti-democratic practises including vote-buying, attacking poll workers, and interfering with the electoral process.
Within the three states, he revealed that 5,169,692 of the 5,409,438 registered voters have obtained their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
Yakubu noted that qualified voters were expected to cast ballots in all 10,510 polling places in their states. He stated that there were two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo without registered voters.
In a similar vein, three state collation centres, 56 Local Government Areas, and 649 Registration Areas/Wards will all participate in the collation of election results.
This provides us with a total of 11,178 polling and collation sites across the three states where security guards can be stationed.
“This is in addition to guaranteeing a safe atmosphere for political parties’ and candidates’ ongoing campaigns and rallies, voter security, personnel and material escorts, asset protection, and general security for everyone with a right to engage in the election and related activities.
