Ahead of Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo Guber Elections, INEC Demands Action Against Violence

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on security agencies to take decisive action against purveyors of violence and other undemocratic activities ahead of the November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this yesterday in Abuja at the meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on the review of the 2023 general election.

Yakubu said the meeting was a combination of both  regular consultative engagement and a review of the 2023 general election.

He emphasised that election is a multi-stakeholder activity, saying while INEC drives the process, a secured environment for the conduct of peaceful elections was the responsibility of the security agencies working in partnership with the commission.

He said the synergy enabled them to overcome many of the challenges prior to the 2023 general election, including the targeted attacks on INEC offices nationwide.

The INEC Chairman stressed that the concern that the perennial insecurity in some parts of the country before the election might make the deployment of personnel and materials, and consequently the conduct of polls, impossible did not materialise.

He commended the security agencies and other members of ICCES for the largely peaceful conduct of the polls.

“As we review the conduct of the last general election, we also need to focus our attention on the forthcoming by-elections and the three off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. Campaigns in public in the three states commenced on 14th July 2023 and will continue until Thursday 9th November 2023, that is 24 hours to the opening of polls on Saturday 11th November 2023.

“Already, there are ominous signs in the form of violent clashes between opposing political parties and candidates.

“While maintaining strict neutrality, security agencies should take decisive action against purveyors of violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process,” Yakubu noted.