The Independent National Electoral Commisslon (INEC) said it will submit the names of ‘overzealous security personnel that acted unprofessionally in last week presidential and the national assembly elections.
After a review of the election conduct between the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the commission’s 12 National Commissioners and the 37 States Resident Electoral Commissioners, the umpire declared that they had a successful outing but must report unprofessional security personnel to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that the Police is the lead security agency for elections based on the provisions of the electoral act 2010 at amended.
“The commission met on Thursday 28th February 2019 with its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to review the Presidential and Natlonal Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 23the February 2019 and assess preparations for the Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections slated for Saturday, 9th March 2019.
“The meeting acknowledged the delays in the commencement of elections In a number of polling units which necessitated the extension of the closing of polls in the affected areas. The Commission is determined to rectify the identified challenges before the elections on 9th March.”
“The meeting noted a number of cancellations in certain areas due to violence, which prevented the Commission from deploying personnel and materials for the elections. In a number of locations, it could not conclude the elections due to disruptions and deliberate noncompliance with the use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR), contrary to the lNEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections.”
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“Consequently, the meeting decided that supplementary elections will be conducted in all areas where elections did not take place and/or where returns could not be made on Saturday, 9th March 2019 alongside the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections,” a statement issued by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr Festus Okoye said.
He said the meeting also assessed the role of security agencies in the elections. While acknowledging their professionalism in the deployment of election personnel and materials in a safe and timely manner adding that the conduct of certain members of the security agencies in some states is a matter of serious concern to the commission.
“This matter will be further discussed directly with the inspector-General of Police within the ambit of the lnter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in preparation for the Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and PCT Area Council elections,” the statement said.
“Although the elections were generally peaceful, the meeting observed and decried the high level of violence in a few places, which regrettably led to fatalities in some States, In addition to the subjugation of some of our electoral officials to threats, harassment, intimidation, assault, abduction and even rape.”
“The Commission condoles with the families of its ad-hoc staff who lost their lives while on this national assignment, as well as other Nigerians who died in the course of the elections. It also expresses its deep regrets to and sympathy for all victims of this mindless violence. We stand with them in these difficult times.”
“The RECs were directed to submit comprehensive reports of these incidents to the Commission for appropriate action.”
“The meeting also considered and received updates on preparations for the elections slated for Saturday, 9th March 2019. It expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness and the deployments of sensitive and non-sensitive materials scheduled for delivery to the Registration Area Centres (RACS) on Friday, 8th March 2019 and noted that this was on course,” Okoye said of the meeting that lasted throughout Friday night.
“Going forward, RECs were further directed to engage with and provide regular updates to stakeholders on the state of preparations for the elections,” the statement added.
