The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) expressed worry on Monday that ongoing assaults on its infrastructure were jeopardizing the smooth conduct of the elections in 2023.
The panel bemoaned the failure of its prior attempts to stop vote-buying and warned that the practice could taint the successful conduct of the elections.
As part of the election preparations, the electoral commission voiced its worries on Monday at two separate gatherings in Abuja.
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Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, insisted that there must be an end to attacks on its facilities as well as the insecurity ravaging parts of the country if the commission is to conduct free, fair, and credible elections in 2023 while speaking at a two-day workshop on political violence and election security organized by the National Defence College in partnership with African Global Empowerment and Development Network.
Yakubu further stated that if the attacks persisted into the following year, they might prevent the elections from going forward without a hitch.
He added that if the unrest in some areas of the nation continued, it may harm candidates’ prospects of receiving the necessary number of votes required by the constitution in order to be declared the victor.
The chairman who was represented by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, stated, “The commission is preparing well for the 2023 general elections. Although, we have recorded some reverses in some of the states of the federation in relation to attacks on some of our facilities leading to the destruction of ballot boxes, voting cubicles, and permanent voter cards. We have the capacity to recover from these attacks.’’
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He noted, “Since the 2019 general elections up till 2022, we have recorded 50 attacks in 15 states of the federation. The ones we recorded in 2022 are the ones we considered systematic and coordinated. They are targeted at derailing our commission from conducting free and credible elections. We are recovering and will recover.
“But if these attacks continue to January and February next year, it will be difficult for us to recover. This is because if you look at section 134 of the constitution, there are thresholds that a candidate must meet before he/she can be declared a winner of any election.’’
Yakubu further stated, “For instance, if no winner emerges on February 25, the law says we have to conduct a second election within 21 days and only two candidates out of the 18 will participate in this second election. The candidate that records the highest number of votes in that election would be considered number one. The second will be the candidate that secures the majority of votes in the majority of the states.
‘’The constitution did not say it is the person who came second. Also, If for instance, we are unable to conduct elections in some of the local governments it will definitely affect the calculation of the threshold required to make a declaration. We also have a constitutionally prescribed window with which we must conduct elections, so if we have sustained insecurity in the country, it may be difficult for the country to achieve this mandate given to us.”
In order to ensure that the security of its offices and workers was given first priority, he claimed that the commission had asked the National Assembly and the security authorities for assistance.
In order to guarantee that the BVAS machines required for the 2023 elections would be made available by the end of the year, Yakubu stated that the commission had started replacing materials lost to the numerous attacks.
He said, “We don’t want distractions. That is why we have made it very clear to the National Assembly that all our offices must be declared as a high priority that needs adequate protection. We don’t want these attacks to continue although we have assurance from the security agencies to protect our staff and offices.
“Already, we are reprinting the PVC damaged in some of the attacks, we are also purchasing new cubicles and ballot boxes to replace the ones lost to the attacks. We are trying to rent offices for those we can’t repair. But I want to assure Nigerians that we are prepared for this election. The entire BVAS needed for this election will be on the ground before the end of the month. “
The INEC chairman added that individuals who were purchasing PVCs were doing so to repress voters while also assuring that the Bimodal Voter Registration System cannot be exploited.
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“There is no way anyone can bypass the BVAS machines. They can only oppress voters by buying their PVCs. It is not possible for a PVC to be used by another person,’’ he assured.
Yakubu also revealed that the commission would co-opt the leaders of the major transport unions into its situation rooms and that it has amended its Memorandum of Understanding with them.
Additionally, Yakubu stated that inducement of voters could taint the elections at a stakeholders’ summit on “Addressing the influence of money on the 2023 general election” that INEC organized in Abuja in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation.
He said, “The negative role of money in elections goes to the very heart of our democracy. It destroys the very basis of democratic elections which is that citizens should freely choose those who exercise power on their behalf. It renders the emergence of the right candidates for positions extremely difficult, undermines fair electoral adjudication, and destroys the professional and independent conduct of INEC officials and other public agencies involved in elections.
“Even more worrisome is the high prospect that criminal money may find its way into our elections through money laundering. Above all, the pernicious use of money tremendously increases the likelihood of election violence due to a ‘win at all costs’ mentality among contestants who would have invested a fortune in the election.
‘’Surely, elections are not a business venture for profit. Instead, it is an application to serve the people with the understanding that they may prefer someone else on one occasion. But then, there would be an opportunity to reapply after four years.’’
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He claims that throughout the years, the commission has implemented a number of steps, including a small rearrangement of the polling places to move the ballot boxes closer to the voting booths and prevent voters from showing their signed ballots to vote buyers.
‘’We also banned the use of smart phones and photographic devices by voters in the voting cubicles. Yet, these measures have recorded limited success,’’ Yakubu lamented, adding that this informed the need to collaborate with relevant institutions to fight the menace of money influence in the electioneering process.
“We must mobilise every relevant national institution to support our effort. We must rely on the professional and other capacities of cognate agencies in our determination to improve electoral administration in Nigeria,” he said.
The head of INEC acknowledged that the National Broadcasting Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the EFCC, and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, have all expressed their willingness to work with them on this.
Yakubu acknowledged that there are legitimate ways to deal with “election traders,” as it were, but he also said that there was still work to be done to eradicate the threat of financial corruption in the system.
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His words, “The commission is aware that legal provisions and the actions of the agencies are critical but will not be enough to completely root out the deep-seated cancer of corrupt money in our elections. The concerted actions of citizens are crucial. Citizens must reject inducements to sway their votes through vote buying.’’
“They must also engage effectively in stopping the negative use of money in our electoral process generally by reporting cases to INEC and other agencies. In addition, civil society organisations should make this a major plank of both their pre-election and election observation activities. Financial institutions, religious organisations, traditional institutions, the media, civic bodies and, above all, citizens must also join in this fight,” he stressed.
However, the INEC chairman warned that those determined to carry on as usual will undoubtedly fight back, adding that the commission has decided to drive them out of their dishonorable endeavor.
“We fully realise that today’s initiative will not go down well with people who may not be committed to the growth of our electoral system and the consolidation of our democracy. We expect them to fight back. There will be both covert and overt pressure, countervailing actions and even threats by these vested interests.
‘’I wish to reiterate that our loyalty is to Nigeria and our allegiance is to Nigerians. We are committed to working with the collaborating agencies to see that this initiative succeeds in the 2023 general election and beyond,” he said.
The head of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was represented by his chief of staff, Hadiza Zubairu, who stated that over the years, vote-buying has grown to be a significant barrier to free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.
He issued a warning to politicians, stating that the EFCC will keep an eye on their adherence to section 2 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which limits “the ability to make or accept cash payment,” during the campaigns for the elections in 2023.
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Usman Baba, the IG, was on the other hand represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police (Operations), Bala Ciroma, who listed the threats to legitimate elections in Nigeria as include violence, thuggery, the use of money, and vote box snatching.
In the meantime, INEC has said that it will need more funding nine weeks before the general elections in order to rebuild the structures, permanent voter cards, and other assets lost in numerous attacks on its sites across the nation.
The commission stated that it will choose the best time to submit a request for funding.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the electoral authority has so far kept track of 50 attacks on its facilities over the last four years, spread over 15 states.
Speaking with Newsmen about how the attacks might affect the commission’s preparation for the elections on Monday, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the INEC chairman’s chief press secretary, said extra financial resources would be needed to make up for the losses the agency had just incurred.
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He stated, ‘’Definitely, more funds will be needed to replace destroyed buildings and resources. However, the commission will, if the need arises, decide on the appropriate time to approach the National Assembly for additional funds.’’
The commission stated that it will choose the best time to submit a request for funding.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the electoral authority has so far kept track of 50 attacks on its facilities over the last four years, spread over 15 states.
Speaking with Newsmen about how the attacks might affect the commission’s preparation for the elections on Monday, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the INEC chairman’s chief press secretary, said extra financial resources would be needed to make up for the losses the agency had just incurred.
He stated, “The party will support anything that will make the forthcoming elections take place. We must not give chances to bad people in this country. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has repeatedly promised to deliver hitch-free elections in 2023 and as a party and campaign council committed to the sustenance of democracy, we will continue to support INEC. So, the commission has our support on this,” he said.
Similar to this, the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said that more funding for INEC was reasonable and in the party’s best interest, provided that it would legitimately facilitate the process’ credibility while increasing election integrity. Therefore, INEC’s request is reasonable, logical, and well-informed. Chief Victor Oye, the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, encouraged the National Assembly to use all available resources to help the electoral umpire carry out its mandate in his or her own speech.
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“The National Assembly ought to pay attention to INEC’s needs and act accordingly. This is to make sure that the elections in 2023 go as planned, he stated.
Rufus Aiyenigba, the Social Democratic Party’s national publicity secretary, asserted that INEC is in a better position to understand the potential effects of the damage to its infrastructure on the conduct of the elections.
“They (INEC) know the challenges they are facing. The commission has been doing very well in the past few years and we have no reason to doubt that in reaching out to the lawmakers for help, they truly need it. The supplementary budget is a legitimate request and we are fully behind them,” he added.
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