March 18 polls not a do-or-die affair, says INEC Chairman

 

.As NSA Monguno allays fears of violence

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has renewed calls on political parties to consider Saturday’s Governorship and States Houses of Assembly election as a contest and not a do-or-die affair.

 

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, said this at an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

 

Yakubu urged political leaders to refrain from acts that might mar the election or compromise the security of INEC personnel, observers and other stakeholders.

 

He said the governorship election would hold in 28 states, with the exception of Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun where the election was conducted off-cycle.

 

He added that the state Houses of Assembly election would hold in all the 993 state constituencies across the country.

 

“Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (one Presidential, 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the state elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 Governorship and 993 State Assembly seats).

 

“There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. They are also local elections involving keen contests.

 

“It is therefore important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war.

 

“They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers,’’ Yakubu said.

 

The INEC Chairman commended the security agencies for their professional conduct during the Feb. 25 presidential and National Assembly election, saying that INEC looked forward to an improved performance in Saturday’s election.

 

“The commission is encouraged by the directive to state Commands by the Inspector General of Police to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously.

 

“We look forward to receiving the case files. We will immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest,’’ Yakubu said.

 

Meanwhile,the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, has described the forthcoming governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections as complicated, adding that security agencies do not envisage violence.

 

Monguno stated this on Tuesday at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja.

 

He stated that a lot of meetings had been ongoing, especially with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector of Police, which as a result, the security agencies do not foresee any form of violence.

 

Monguno noted, “Of course, the elections on Saturday are going to be much more complicated, and contextually different. First of all, we are going to have 1021 constituencies which means more people are interested, and more people to vote. Obviously, the dynamics would be much more different than the elections that were just concluded.

 

“For the security agencies, I know a lot has been done. I have been talking with the Chief of Defence Staff, and with the Inspector General of Police, who is the head of the lead agency in the process of elections.

 

“So far, so good, we do not envisage anything that is going to be terrible or apocalyptic in the next few days. But that does not mean that we should all do away with our state of readiness. We must comply with the rules. We must also allow everyone to exercise their fundamental rights as citizens of this country.”

 

The NSA also urged political parties and candidates to demonstrate high levels of discipline and maturity during and after the polls, advising them to call their supporters to order.