By-elections: INEC Expresses Concern Over Prevailing Insecurity in Some States

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Ahead of the by-elections scheduled to hold on February 3, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern about the prevailing insecurity in some states and its impact on the conduct of the elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at a meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He lamented that the prevailing insecurity had been made worse by incendiary statements by some political actors. 

Yakubu recalled that in his remarks at the commission’s extraordinary meeting with leaders of political parties last month, he reported that the elections would affect 35 national and state constituencies. 

His said: “Since then, four additional orders of the Court of Appeal have been served on the commission in respect of Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, Madara/Chinade State Constituency of Bauchi State, as well as Kudan and Kauru/Chawai State Constituencies of Kaduna State. 

“This brings the total number of affected constituencies to 39 which translates to 2.6% of the 1,491 constituencies for which elections were conducted nationwide in the 2023 general election.

“The nine by-elections are fresh elections covering the entire constituencies.”

However, Yakubu noted that with the exception of three constituencies (Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau State and Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency in Kaduna State), the re-run elections are to be held in a few polling units. 

He said that in some cases, only one polling unit was affected in an entire federal or state constituency.

The chairman said their task as members of ICCES was to ensure security for the elections. 

According to him, “For this reason, the commission has already provided to the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency in election security, the full information of the locations where the elections will be held broken down by states, local government areas, registration areas/wards and polling units.”

Yakubu said the commission has also provided the number of registered voters and Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) collected in each polling unit, adding that the same information would be shared at the meeting with other members of ICCES. 

He stressed that the updated information would also be uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms for public information. 

The chairman said from experience, the conduct of isolated elections such as by-elections and re-run elections could be very challenging. 

He noted that there was a need to pay attention to the potential disruptive behaviour by some candidates and their supporters. 

He emphasised that a re-run election conducted in one polling unit or a handful of polling units could be severely disrupted by acts of thuggery knowing full well that these few locations would determine the outcome of the election. 

Yakubu stated: “Arising from the reports we received from the states, concerns have been raised about the impact of the prevailing insecurity in some states on the conduct of the elections, made worse by incendiary statements by some political actors. We will present such concerns and reports at this meeting for appropriate security response.

“What many people do not realise is that there is no election season in Nigeria any longer. Elections are held throughout the year between one general election and another. This adds to the enormous pressure on both INEC and the security agencies.

“For instance, in addition to the by-elections and re-run elections holding next week, the commission has also released the timetable and schedule of activities for the two off-cycle governorship elections in Edo State scheduled for 21st September 2024 and Ondo State holding on 16th November 2024.”

The chairman said as required by the Electoral Act 2022, party primaries and nomination of candidates would be done not later than 180 days before the date fixed for the elections. 

Accordingly, Yakubu reiterated that party primaries for Edo State would commence next week and end three weeks later, that is between February 1 and 24.

Yakubu said for Ondo State, primaries would be held between 6th and 27th April 2024.