The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Office the National Security Adviser (ONSA) have given conflicting figures of the violent attacks recorded since the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 general election.
While INEC said it has so far tracked 50 incidents of physical attacks at campaigns, across 21 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory in the last one month, ONSA said it had 52 cases of violence across 22 states within the period.
Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman and Babagana- Mohammed Monguno, the NSA gave these numbers at the emergency meeting of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja on Friday.
The meeting came on the heels of the attacks on INEC local government area offices in Abeokuta south of Ogun and Ede South of Osun states earlier in the week.
Yakubu said, these unhappy occurrences are coming just a little over one month into the election campaign which is scheduled to last for about five months from September 28, 2022 – February 23, 2023 for national elections and
October 12, 2022 – March 11, 2023 for state polls.
He expressed worry that if no urgent and decisive steps are taken, the attacks will intensify the election date approaches, saying a peaceful campaign heralds a peaceful election hence the need to take decisive steps to stem the ugly trend.
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The INEC chairman said Nigerians expect a decisive action from ICCES, stressing that it is important they move swiftly to apprehend perpetrators, prosecute them as required by law and reinforce security around election officials and electoral infrastructure around the country.
Yakubu reassured Nigerians that INEC remains committed to delivering credible elections in spite of the challenges, saying attempt to sabotage or weaken the resolve will not deter it from conducting transparent elections in which only the votes cast by Nigerians on election day will determine winners of elections.
Briefing ICCES members on the Ogun and Osun attacks, Yakubu said: “The attack in Abeokuta South happened around 1.15am while that of Ede happened around 6.00am yesterday Thursday 10th November 2022.
“Our immediate conclusion is that they may not be isolated, but we leave this determination to the security agencies who are investigating the incidents. Secondly, the spate of attacks during electioneering campaigns by political parties is increasing rather than decreasing.
“While the damage in the attack in Ede South was minimal, that of Abeokuta South was extensive. Materials destroyed include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 8 electric power generators, 57 election bags, 30 megaphones, 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and a host of other assorted items such as stamps and stamp pads.
“The Commission is taking urgent steps to repair the damage to the building and replace the facilities in the Ede South Local Government Area so that the office becomes functional again immediately. For Abeokuta South Local Government Area office, the destruction was total.
“Consequently, the Commission is relocating our staff to the old State office (also known as INEC Office Annex) in Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta. All activities involving the 15 Registration Areas (Wards) and 445 Polling Units in Abeokuta South Local Government Area will henceforth be coordinated from the new location in Oke-Ilewo.”
He disclosed that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ogun state has been directed to compile the Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) of all the 65,699 PVCs lost in the attack from INEC’s database and submit the record for immediate reprint.
The professor of history and international relations assured affected registered voters in Abeokuta South that no one will be disenfranchised as a result of that dastardly act.
On his part, the NSA said the violent clashes at the campaigns were bad signals ahead of the next year’s, warning that he and other security agencies have been given marching orders by President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure rancour free polls.
Mongonu said: “From what the chairman has already told us, there are issues that have emerged. From mine own statistics, I am aware of the fact that within a period of just one month, the 8th of October to the 9th of November, we had 52 cases of violence across 22 states of the federation. This is a bad signal. This is something that we do not want to continue.
“We are all aware of the fact that the president as far as he is concern is committed to upholding and safeguarding democracy. This is what the people want. The president has also given his directives to me, to all the operational intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the 2023 elections are held in an atmosphere bereft of any rancor.
“The president is extremely pleased with the outcome of the results of the elections in Anambara, Ekiti and Osun states and he wants a repeat of such performance, a manifestation of the people’s will triumphing over any obstacle that might dismantle the democracy we are trying to protect.
“Now, I want to assure you that the security agencies have been given clear cut instructions to preempt and deal with any situation in which any group, organisation or institution decides to embark on what we consider to be a fundamentally criminal enterprise for undertaking. Whether these are isolated incidents, collective group activities, it is not important.
“The important thing is that every Nigerian is allowed to cast his votes and those votes must count and for those people who hold the strings, who control these groups that have the proclivity for unleashing violence, those people who have gangsters working for them, I want to send a very, very clear warning.”
The retired Major General of the Nigerian Army also strongly warned political actors regardless of whichever party, “including the party of the president” to play the game according to the rules or expect “real shocker”.
He said: “For as long as you decide to scuttle the election process, the law enforcement agencies will equally be uninhibited in reacting to whatever actions you have taken. You will be visited with appropriate, with commensurate response. I want to assure you, and I am saying this with all sincerity.
“So, those people who feel they have had a history of organising and controlling groups that have an inclination for excessive, inordinate behaviour, I want to send this warning to you. Please, reassess, re-evaluate, run through whatever contemplation you have been making, hold your people and advise them that as long as they do not behave in a manner that suggests compliance with the election laws. As long as you do not operate on the straights and narrows, you will be held accountable.
“Therefore, it is important for you to call those people and you know the people under your control. Those thugs, those blood thirsty, trigger happy thugs straining at the dish, foaming at the mouth, desperate to have the opportunity to undermine the electoral process, they will be brought to book. Already, the security agencies, intelligence agencies have been tracking these people. This I can guarantee you.
“You need to do yourself a favour, call your people, your hoods, talk to them and tell them to lay down. whatever plans they have because whoever wins in any state, whichever party wins that party has won. This is the intention of the president of this country. Any pretence, anything there will be no excuse whatsoever.”
Also speaking, Usman Alkali-Baba, the Inspector General of Police, said several culprits have been arrested in connection with electoral violence and are being investigated while some are already charged to the court.
“The election is threatened by events that are unfolding in some states from the day electroal campaigns unfolded. We have had incidences of intolerance by politicians within the various ranks of politicians. We had incidents of thuggery, we have incidents of rallies, campaigns, and processions being disturbed violently and so forth.
“It is our determination that these things are put to rest quicky to enable forge ahead with the general election. The incidences so far, arrests have been made, investigations have been conducted and some suspects have been charged to court. My prayer is quick dispensation of justice so that it will serve as deterrent,” he stated.
