The Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, rebuffed entreaties to postpone next
month’s round of elections, saying it was financially and mentally set for the
polls. The commission, nevertheless, affirmed that the go-ahead for elections
in the troubled Northeast would be given by security agencies. Also yesterday,
the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, vowed to deal with errant
politicians who heat up the polity through negative utterances, saying he would
show to them that no one could be above the law. The assertions at a workshop
for the training of security agencies ahead of the general elections came as
INEC said the conduct of election in the troubled Northeast would be determined
by the counsel of security agencies. Chairman, INEC Electoral Training
Institute, Dr Ishmael Igbani, who spoke on behalf of the commission in giving
the readiness of the commission for the polls, said the commission was
comfortable with the fund it has at its disposal at the moment. He said:
“Anytime there is election in Nigeria, there is always some form of tension. I
have been around for a while and I don’t think it is something new. I don’t
think people should be afraid. But it is also essential that we get ready just
in case.” Lagos pastor, Tunde Bakare had last Sunday called for the
postponement of the elections for the purpose of allowing tension among
political gladiators to ebb. According to him, “it is also very important that
we have peaceful elections, it is also important that voters come out to vote
without fear. It is also important that the personnel who will work for us and
the environment itself is peaceful and for it to be peaceful, it is important
for the security agencies to be alert and ensure that they do what they are
supposed to do.” He said a minimum of 50 personnel were being trained, adding:
“We call this cascade training. After this training of trainers who will now go
to their various security organisations to train others and so forth which will
go down the line in that way. More will be trained in a cheaper way.” Speaking
on the possibility of conducting elections in the North-East, he said: “Our
work in the commission is to conduct elections; other people have been given
that assignment. They are in a better position to answer that. But what I can tell
you is that once the coast is clear we will hold elections. On the alleged
paucity of funds by the commission to conduct elections, he said: “We are
comfortable with what we have. I am just hearing of that for the first time.
Nobody will postpone election. Why will it be postponed?” Commenting on the
prospect of internally displaced persons in the Northeast voting, he said the
INEC committee charged with finding a solution to the issue had yet to submit
its report.
Vanguard (online)
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