MARCH 18: National Security Adviser warns parties against electoral violence

*As INEC wants acts capable of compromising process, security of staff, others avoided 

The National Security Adviser, Major General Babangana Monguno (Rtd), has advised political parties and their candidates in the upcoming elections to shun actions capable of dragging the country to crisis before, during and after the exercise.

This advice is coming at a time the nation’s Federating units are four days to the March 18, 2023 Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections, asking the political parties and their supporters to shun violence.

General Monguno gave the appeal on Tuesday during the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, where the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, also appealed for violence-free election exercise.

Specifically, Yakubu implored political parties, candidates and their supporters to see the election as a contest, not war.

The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting gets underway at the INEC HQ, Abuja. The Governorship/State Houses of Assembly elections, scheduled for 18th March is on the agenda.

He wants them to “refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers.”

“There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. They are also local elections involving keen contests. It is therefore important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war,” he added.

While thanking security agencies for the professionalism of their personnel and the largely peaceful conduct of the presidential election, he said INEC state offices have provided the police with the details for the governorship and state assembly elections, including locations of polling units and collation centres.

There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. They are also local elections involving keen contests. It is therefore important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war.

Unlike the February 25 Presidential and National Polls that held nationwide, the Governorship elections will only hold in 28 States.

Those exempted are eight states – Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun – because polls are held off-cycle.

To ensure a hitch-free election, INEC in collaboration with security agencies will ensure that the exercise the State elections will involve 1,021 constituencies.