– Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is constrained and has no control over security agencies
– The INEC chairman further stated that the commission had declared elections inconclusive because it is provided for in the country’s electoral laws
– Yakubu noted that the control of violence during election is the responsibility of security agencies, and not of the commission
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has revealed a shocking reality confronting the commission ahead of the 69 elections to be conducted across the country this weekend, Today.ng reports.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 5, the commission’s chairman disclosed that the electoral umpire is constrained.
He said the commission was worried because of the resurgence of violence, especially as it does not have control over security forces. He stressed that the commission cannot secure voting environment.
The chairman, who spoke to newsmen immediately after a presentation at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja, said the elections scheduled for this weekend are 68 chairmanship and councillorship elections in Abuja and a House of Representatives rerun in Osun state.
Yakubu, however, assured that INEC was already working with security agencies to identify areas prone to violence for upcoming elections and arrest the situation before the commencement of the exercise.
“We have a responsibility to our staff, ad hoc and regular, as well as the voters. Yes, we are challenged by it and we have been working with the security agencies to see what we can do. But appreciate the constraints. INEC cannot guarantee the security of elections. That responsibility belongs to another agency of government. But if the environment is not secure, there is no way we can guarantee elections,” he said.
Yakubu further noted that control of violence is the responsibility of security agencies, not of the election management body. He hinted that a stakeholders meeting involving all the political parties participating in the upcoming elections will be held with security agencies. He added that the commission is also holding a meeting with the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to brainstorm on security as well as election risk management.
“We are going to identify the flashpoints and give the information to the security agencies to deploy accordingly. We don’t expect that there will be any breakdown of law and order. But where it happens, I am sure that with the work that we are doing with the security agencies, they can quickly deploy,” he said.
Yakubu while commenting on the issue of inconclusive elections under his leadership simply explained that it was provided in the electoral act.
“Nobody has said that we have declared any election inconclusive outside the provisions of the law. Section 26 of the Election Act is clear. Where you have threats or natural disaster, INEC has the powers to suspend elections,” he said.
In a related development, the commission, the National Assembly and the attorney general and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami have tasked civil society organizations (CSOs) to draw a proposed amendments to the electoral act for the attention of the executive and the legislative arms of government.
The minister of justice, who spoke on the country’s electoral laws, said the rulings of the Supreme Court on some of the election petitions were evidence of gaps in the nation’s electoral laws and charged CSOs to come up with suggestions and proffer solutions to several challenges posed to the achievement of credible elections in the country.
Malami disclosed plans by government to embark on a comprehensive legal reform to address the challenges posed by some of the nation’s electoral laws.
“I have begun consultations with the leadership of the National Assembly and the Judiciary to identify key laws and priority areas for reform. Our priority areas will be clearly outlined in our justice sector reform that we will propose to the National Assembly and align it with their agenda in order to achieve it within the tenure of this administration,” he said.
Responding also, Aisha Dukku, the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on electoral matters pleaded with civil society organisations to quickly come up with proposed amendments to the electoral laws, and assured that the National Assembly would give urgent attention to it.
Clement Nwankwo, the executive director of the policy and legal advocacy centre (PLAC), who spoke on behalf of CSOs, challenged the electoral umpire to start discussions within itself about its regulations to accommodate current challenges.
“The attorney general of the federation should develop a legislative agenda for the government,” he said.
Nwankwo stressed that there might be the need for suitable work in the proposed amendments to the electoral law.
The commission in a response to the criticisms from the major political parties that participated in the Rivers state rerun national and states legislative elections recently conducted issued a statement on March 20, explaining why it declared the poll inconclusive.
The statement which was issued by Olowole Osaze-Uzzi, the director in charge of voters education and publicity, said the electoral body took the decision because the exercise witnessed a number of disruptions.
Uzzi stated that there were concerns over the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters.
