*Calls on INEC, security agencies to adopt different security strategy
*As IGP, INEC assure of free, fair, credible poll
Key stakeholders in the off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states have expressed serious concern on the neutrality of both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies during the election.
Drawing instances with what happend during the 2023 general elections, the panelists expressed deep concern that the two agencies failed woefully to professionally carry out their duties which cast doubts on their neutrality and is affecting voter participation at the forthcoming election.
They expressed worry that assurances made by the electoral umpire and security agencies are usually kept in the breach.
But both the Chairman of the INEC and the IGP assured that negative public observations which mitigated against neutrality in the last general elections would not reoccur.
The stakeholders spoke at a Town Hall Meeting on Security hosted by Channels Tv, Daar Communications, UK Development and Impact Develoomemt Initiative (KDI) Sunday in Abuja.
The IGP in particular assured that the officers and men deployed for the governorship elections have been specially trained, assuring that he has taken special steps to guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
Some of the panelists reported how they were checked out of the hotel Sunday, 4th November, in Owerri, Imo State, because a particular political party had paid for the hotel rooms up till 14th, expressing worry on the implications.
The issue of the malfunctioning of INEC Result Viewing Portal during the last general election was noted, with the commission assuring their their mock accreditation in the three states have cleared all such issues recurring.
Excerpts of the Town Hall Meeting is reproduced below:
IGP Kayode Egbetokun:
Because this election is an off-cycle election gives security agencies an advantage in terms of deploying personnel and logistics. We can draw from large pool of resources, especially from other states to deploy for this election.
We have made adequate arrangements for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. We have done our needs assessment and we have started. By Friday, we complete the deployment.
I want to assure you that thebpolice and other security agencies are ready for this election and I assure you it is going to be hitch-free.
The three states have history of political violence and we know what happened in the last general election and we are going to leverage on those and do things differently. We are happy that election in these states are going to be better this time around.
“Election violence is not new in.Nigeria and I want to assure that the Police have dealt with reports of electoral violence which led to mop up of arms and array of suspects, some of who are undergoing trial right now. The police heaven a duty to guarantee Nigerians of the expression of their freedoms, including the freedom to exercise their democratic rights. I assure them that we have taken care of all the threats what we have identified and I assure them that this election will be different and free.
I am hearing of the attack of the Labour Party candidate in Imo State now and I am sure that the Commissioner of Police in the state is doing something about it.
We will respond appropriately to all forms of electoral violence, including vote buying and they will be responded to. Our officers have been trained and voted buying is prohibited in the Electoral Law and we will deal with that appropriately. Our men have been trained, anyone seen in electoral fraud around the polling units will be arrested.
Allowances will be paid to all personnel to be engaged in the election and this has been approved and will be disbursed. What some people see as non-neutrality is subjective. What people see as not being neutral may not be actually so. They have been trained not to take sides or be partisan and anyone who violates such rules will not be spared.
No VIP is allowed to move around with security agents and if we identify such people, we shall arrange and prosecute them. Citizens are allowed to take photographs of such and send to us for necessary action.
The police have power to investigate all cases of violations during elections. After investigations, the police send the case file to INEC to determine whether or not to prosecute.
We are aware of reports made against the CP, Imo State and we are changing him for this election, not because we have found him guilty of such allegations but we decided to change him to ensure neutrality.
Mary Nkem, Acting Director, Voter Education Department, representing the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu:
The commission is ready. I want to quote my chairman. He said we are where we want to be. After the 2023 general elections, we reviewed what happened and came to terms with what we did, what we need to do and I can assure you that we are by far better to do much, much during this off-cycle election.
All the sensitive materials will move to the states tomorrow (Monday). They are customised to both states and polling units. I can assure you the commission will be better in this off-cycle election.
PDP Rep:
I must commend the collaboration between Channels, AIT and Impact Develoomemt Initiative (KDI) in this election. I’m happy that you have identified the threat points. You have identified both the state and non-state actors. I’m happy that the IGP and representative of the NSA are here and they have to identify the non-state actors and desl with their threats.
We shall ensure that materials are deployed to the RAC early enough and ensure it gets to the polling units on time. In the area of neutrality, INEC will remain neutral. Even two, three weeks ago, the commission conduxt3d mock accreditation and the essence was to confirm if the IRev is working optimally and everything is working perfectly well.
During the general election, there was a glitch associated more with technology and those have been adequately addressed.
Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC):
There is no doubt that the three states are of worry to us. We know that in Bayelsa and Imo, we have incumbent t governors who are going for second term, while in Kogi, it is brand new candidates that are contesting. What is.most important is the body language of the candidates. We have educated our supporters and members to abide by the rules and the constitution.
We have a monitoring system here in Abuja and are have designed how to relate with security agencies if we notice any threat to peace and aenhave also advised our governors in Imo and Kogi to also relate with security agencies.
Capt. Kabiru Admu, a security expert:
What we believe as a party is a statement credited to the Prwsident of the country where he was quoted to have said he has no candidate. With that assurances he has reduced the level of violence that would occur. The statistics in your review is very correct. We have places already noted that are black spots. I urge the security agencies to identify the ring leaders in these violent arms and keep them in check.
I call on INEC to deploy the lessons learnt so hopefully that electoral materials get to the polling units in time to prevent violent associated eith late arrival of balloting materials.
If judiciary does not take such issues into account, one cannot guarantee the effect on subsequent elections.
In the last election, the issue of code of conduct, wearing of their name tags, who will play what role during the election, were discussed but not followed. It was in the last election that we saw an agent being molested in the presence of security personnel and they did nothing because they claimed it was not their duty. If people don’t believe that INEC or security agencies are neutral, it is going to affect the outcome and participation of people during the election.
Alhaji Yabagi Sani, Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC):
Ours is to ensure that we have peace. About two moths ago, we wrote all the parties to ensure that they keep their supporters and members in check to ensure we have a peaceful election. I am happy that both President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the IGP are supervising elections for the first time and I implore on them to ensure that they do the proper thing.
Out meetings with INEC shows that they are ready and took stock of what happened in previous elections and avoid what happened in the last general election.
INEC assured that they are going to transmit the results to the IRev for real time viewing of the results.
Barr. Julius Abure, National Chairman of Labour Party:
Election security is key to the success of elections. Without security there will be voter aparthy. There are very serious worries in respect to us as an party with respect to Kogi and Imo State. Just this evening we had report that our governorship candidate was attacked at Owerri West. If that happened, it makes us begin to take into serious account all the assurances of security in the election. With what happened in the last general election, where we witnessed voter suppression, voter harassment and outright intimidation, it is doubtful of they can do what the promised. I think the security agencies need to tell us what they will do differently in terms of provision of security during the selection. As I speak now, there is palpable fear that lives will not be secure especially in Imo and Kogi especially. All through the campaigns, our office have been attacked sevwrwlly in Imo and Kogi states and security agencies accompanied those who carried out these attacks and nothing has happened to them. For our party, our major issue of concern is on security in Imo and Kogi states, we have minimal worry more about state of security in Bayelsa state.
If today we have heard political leaders that however you win does not matter that what matters is to win so that the lower can go to court. But this is very unfortunate. If those violence and actions are not taken into account in judicial pronouncements made during adjudication, we shall continue to face crises on what happens on election day.
Having heard from the IGP I want to add my voice to call on the people to come out massively to vote for people of their choice. Our party have been victims of attacks. However, I call on our party members to come out, exercise their franchise and ensure we have free, fair and credible election.
