INEC Chair Expresses Concern over Attack on PDP Rally in Kaduna

•Says it has reduced essence of Peace Accord 

•House minority, Situation Room worried, demand probe

Chuks Okocha, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Udora Orizu in Abuja

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed worry over Monday’s attacks on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during a rally in Kaduna State. Yakubu said the development, and the rising mudslinging that was almost becoming the order of the day since campaigns kicked off on September 28, had diminished the essence of the peace accord recently signed by the political parties. He spoke in Abuja during the Training of Master Trainers on Election Technology for the 2023 general election.

Similarly, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives condemned the attack on the PDP presidential campaign rally in Kaduna State on Monday by thugs allegedly mobilised by certain interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC). The caucus demanded probe.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room also expressed concern over the incident and urged political parties and actors to call their supporters to order.

In his remarks at the Training of Master Trainers on Election Technology for the 2023 general election, Yakubu stated that the reported denial of access to campaign facilities by some governors did not speak well of the campaigns, which ought to be issue-based.

He said, “Even as the commission is working hard to ensure a credible process in the forthcoming elections, reports of clashes among parties and their supporters in some states of the country during the on-going electioneering is worrisome.

“So, too, is the reported denial of access to public facilities for parties and candidates in some states of the federation. Let me caution parties and their supporters to focus on issues and steer clear of attacks on each other.

“These are not only violations of the Electoral Act 2022, but also negate the voluntary commitment by all political parties and candidates to the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord signed about three weeks ago under the auspices of the National Peace Committee (NPC).

“Parties, candidates and their supporters should not, by acts of commission or omission, further complicate the prevailing security situation in the country. A peaceful electioneering campaign is critical to the conduct of peaceful and credible elections.

“The commission will continue to monitor the situation closely and will convene a meeting with leaders of political parties next week to discuss, among other issues, the imperative of peaceful campaigns and equal access to public facilities. In the same vein, the commission will also meet with the security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) next week.”

The INEC chairman said over the last two years, the commission had increased the deployment of technology in elections in Nigeria. He added that systems and portals had been designed and developed to cater for different electoral activities, ranging from voter registration and accreditation, result transmission from the polling units, and nomination of candidates by political parties, to the accreditation of polling agents, observers and journalists for elections.

Yakubu said, “Of these innovations, most Nigerians are more familiar with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which doubles as a device for accreditation as well as the upload of the polling unit level result sheets to the INEC Result Viewing (IRV) portal in real-time on election day.

“These innovations have increased transparency and public confidence in the electoral process. They are also part of the legal requirements for conducting elections in Nigeria. The combination of the BVAS and the IReV portal has come to stay as a means of voter accreditation and transmission of election results.

“From the experience of recent off-cycle elections, the commission is convinced that a critical success factor in the deployment of technology in elections is training. We need to build the capacity of the staff involved not only to competently handle the devices during the accreditation process but also to respond effectively to any glitches that may occur during elections.

“Our plan for the 2023 general election is to commence the training of election officials early and for a longer period of time for optimal understanding of the processes and procedures in order to serve Nigerians better. A key component of this effort is election technology.”

Earlier, Country Director, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Seray Jah, in a goodwill message, said the foundation was pleased to be part of the training on technologies for the 2023 elections.

Jah stated, “This training is significant as it presents a huge opportunity for the commission to enhance the transparency and credibility of elections through the deployment of technology on a large scale for the conduct of the 2023 general elections, using the Electoral Act 2022.”

House Minority Caucus Condemns Kaduna Attack, Demands Probe

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives condemned the attack on the PDP presidential campaign rally in Kaduna State on Monday by thugs.

The caucus, in a statement by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said it was seriously concerned about the unprovoked violent act against the PDP campaign. It said the attack was not only reprehensible but also completely against the spirit and letter of the Peace Accord signed by political parties and their candidates on September 28 in Abuja.

The lawmakers called on the National Peace Committee and security agencies to investigate the attack, issue appropriate penalty on culprits, and take further steps to ensure strict adherence to the letters of the Peace Accord. 

The statement read, “Such thoughtless act of violence, if not immediately checked, is capable of derailing the 2023 elections, truncate our nation’s democratic process as well as jeopardise our national unity and corporate existence as a nation.

“It is, therefore, imperative that political parties and candidates must desist from such acts of desperation and embrace the course of democracy even in the face of unpopularity with the electorate.

“The caucus charges the security agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the attack and ensure that the perpetrators and their sponsors are brought to book. Security agencies are also urged to put all necessary machinery in place to ensure adequate security during the campaign and election period so as to guarantee peaceful, free, fair and credible 2023 general election.”

Situation Room Worries, Asks Parties to Caution Supporters 

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room expressed concern over attacks by political thugs at campaign rallies in some parts of the country, urging political parties and actors to call their supporters to order.

A statement by Convener of the Situation Room, Ms. Ene Obi, said the attacks by thugs in Zamfara and Kaduna states contravened the provisions of Section 91 (4) and Section 93 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The statement said, “In accordance with Section 91(4) of the Act, registered political parties in Nigeria and their candidates should not be prevented from holding rallies, processions or meetings at any time for their constitutional political purposes.

“Section 93 (1) of the Act also states that a party, candidate or group of persons shall not directly or indirectly threaten any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate.

“Situation Room reminds political parties that a contravention of this provision attracts a fine of N2, 000,000 in the first instance, and N500, 000 for any subsequent offence. A fine of N1, 000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months follows suit for candidates or persons, who violate the law.”

Obi urged the Commissioner of Police in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide adequate security for proper and peaceful conduct of political rallies and processions in their respective jurisdictions. She said the police should arrest perpetrators of violence at campaign grounds with a view to bringing them to justice, in line with the provisions of Section 91(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Police Act and the Public Order Act.