Abubakar Yunusa Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) that beyond vote buying, there must be decisive action against negative mobilisation, incitement and violence during the electioneering campaign.
The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu made the charges at the 3rd quarterly meeting with the commission and (ICCES) in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, it has been exactly a month since the commencement of campaign by political parties, yet the incidents of physical attacks on supporters and destruction of campaign materials across the country is worrisome.
Professor Yakubu informed that these attacks and denials are a violation of the Electoral Act 2022 and ominous signs of what would follow as the campaigns enter critical stages.
He maintained that there may also be a prelude to violence on Election Day and beyond, advising that the security agency should tackle the smoke before it snowballs into a major inferno.
The INEC Chairman informed that the effective enforcement of the electoral law is the best way to deal with the menace and should work together to ensure the arrest and prosecution of violators of the provisions of especially Sections 92 – 93 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“At our consultative meeting two days ago, leaders of political parties in Nigeria also complained about the denial of access to public facilities and exorbitant charges in some States for the use of such facilities for the dissemination of their campaign materials, messages and rallies.
“One of the worrisome practices perpetrated during elections by desperate individuals is vote buying and selling at polling units on election day.
“This Committee has severally discussed this matter. In our determination to curb the menace, the membership of ICCES was expanded to include the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The two agencies have been deploying their operatives during elections and this effort is paying off. For instance, following arrests made during the recent Osun State Governorship election held on 16th July this year, the EFCC made arrests and after investigation found evidence to charge the suspects to court in Osogbo. We are right now working with the EFCC to ensure their prosecution. I wish to commend the EFCC for this initiative and assure them of our support at all times” he said.
He opined that as the 2023 general election approaches, the commission would continue to appraise the security situation in the country and its possible impact on the conduct of elections.
“We are right now working to harmonise our Election Risk Management (ERM) and Election Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool (EVMAT) for a more effective risk assessment and mitigation measures ahead of the General Election.
“We will continue to share information with the security agencies and most importantly work together to ensure that elections hold peacefully nationwide as scheduled” Yakubu stressed.
In his remark, the ICCES Co- Chairman and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) observed the violent dimensions of electioneering campaigns which characterizes attacks on campaign rallies, political campaign offices as well as passing of uncomplementary remarks and uncouth utterances among politicians which signal potential threats to the smooth conduct of the forthcoming elections in February, 2023.
Represented by Sanusi Galadima, Monguno informed that while security agencies strategize new measures to counter the rising wave of violence in the polity, the NSA hoped that the second phase of the signing of “Peace Accord”, by the National Peace Committee (NPC) scheduled for January, 2023, will be fruitful in deescalating the violent trend.
