Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has raised fresh alarms, warning that the forthcoming general election faces serious threat of cancellation should the insecurity across the country fails to improve.
Its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who expressed the concerns, also warned that the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies due to the prevailing security situation in the areas will not only hinder the declaration of elections results but also precipitate constitutional crisis.
Represented by the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Yakubu spoke in his remarks at the validation of election security training resources held in Abuja on Monday.
The electoral umpire boss however assured that the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
His words: “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 the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members constitute the core of the Polling Unit Election officials.
“Moreover, 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 elections results and precipitate constitutional crisis. 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,” he charged. (Sun)