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The Independent National Electoral commission has advised various political parties to caution their supporters and agent to refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of INEC’s personnel, observers, the media and service providers during the March 18 Gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections.
INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu who spoke in Abuja said he expected a coordinated deployment plan in synergy from the Police and other security, intelligence, law enforcement and safety agencies.
Yakubu stated that the commission was encouraged by the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba, to State Commands to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously.
The INEC boss stated that the commission looked forward to receiving the case files, adding that it would immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest.
“The governorship elections will hold in 28 States of the Federation. As you are aware, governorship elections in eight states (Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun states) are held off-cycle and therefore not conducted during the general election. However, elections will be conducted for all the 993 State constituencies nationwide.
“Our state offices have made available to the Nigeria Police Force, being the lead agency in election security, the delimitation details for both the governorship and State Assembly elections, including locations of Polling Units and Collation Centres”
“On that basis, we expect a coordinated deployment plan in synergy with other security, intelligence, law enforcement and safety agencies” he said.
