Experts Raise Alarm Over Election Security and Integrity in Imo State, Others

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

In anticipation of the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr. Sam Amadi, stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn from past mistakes.

He expressed concerns about the integrity of previous elections in these states and called for a thorough assessment of past errors to identify areas for improvement.

Amadi highlighted the security challenges faced by Imo state, attributing them to issues in the 2020 gubernatorial election. He urged INEC to uphold its promise of on-the-spot transmission of results to ensure transparency and regain public trust.

Speaking at a policy roundtable in Abuja, themed ‘The gubernatorial elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa: A national Security Challenge,’ Amadi criticized the discordant messages surrounding the election process. He cited recent news about manual collation of Bayelsa elections, raising doubts about the process’s credibility.

Amadi emphasized the risk of exacerbating insecurity in Imo if the elections are manipulated and called for extreme actions to ensure fairness and security.

The gathering of experts discussed election security and integrity, addressing concerns such as vote authentication, candidate qualifications, and security threats. Calls for resolute actions to ensure free and fair future elections were echoed in the dialogue.

Prof. Abiodun Adeniji from Baze University emphasized transparency, credibility, and efficiency within electoral institutions. The policy dialogue aimed to gather ideas and recommendations to equip relevant institutions with effective strategies to address these critical issues.