Ensure safe environment for conduct of by-elections, INEC chairman tells security agencies

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on security agencies to ensure a secure environment for the conduct of by-elections and re-run polls in some parts of the country.

Yakubu spoke on Tuesday during a meeting of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES) held at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

The by-elections arising from the death or resignation of members of the national and state houses of assembly are scheduled to be held on February 3.

Re-run elections that were ordered by tribunals are also fixed to be conducted on the same date.

According to INEC, by-elections will be held in nine states while re-run polls are to be conducted in 39 federal constituencies.

Yakubu said the conduct of by-elections, which he described as isolated polls, can be very challenging.

He added that attention must be paid to the potential for disruptive behaviour by some candidates and their supporters.

“Security agencies must secure the environment to enable us to deploy personnel and materials, the protection of observers, the media as well as the polling and collation agents representing the political parties and candidates,” he said.

“Without a secure and peaceful environment, the conduct of credible elections is imperilled.

“A re-run election conducted in one polling unit or a handful of polling units can be severely disrupted by acts of thuggery knowing full well that these few locations will determine the outcome of the election.

“Arising from the reports we received from the states, concerns have been raised about the impact of the prevailing insecurity in some states on the conduct of the elections, made worse by incendiary statements by some political actors.

“As we prepare for the bye-elections and re-run elections, we should equally be prepared for the two major elections later in this year in Edo and Ondo states.”