2023 Election faces cancellation threat over insecurity- INEC

By Biola Adebayo On Jan 9, 2023

Sam Olumekun, INEC , Promotion — INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday warned that this year’s general election, faces serious threat of cancellation if the waves of insecurity in parts of the country fails to abate.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, represented by the Chairman Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at the Validation of Election Security Training Resources.

Prof. Yakubu, explained that “if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate constitutional crisis.”

The commission, however, assured Nigerians that it would not leave anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.

He said, “We all appreciate the fact that election security is vital to democratic consolidation through provision of enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process.

“Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.

“This is particularly significant to the commission given the current insecurity challenges in various parts of the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps members constitute the core of the polling unit election officials.

“This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen.

“Therefore, security personnel in particular and all election officials, in general, must be security conscious and alert to unusual activities in their environment and must be fully equipped to deal with any challenge at all times.”