Ahead of the November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has called on security agencies to take decisive action against purveyors of violence and other undemocratic activities. Yakubu said the call became necessary following ominous signs in the form of violent clashes between opposing political parties and candidate in the states.

The INEC boss stated this at the meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on the review of the 2023 general elections yesterday in Abuja. “As we review the conduct of the last general election, we also need to focus on the forthcoming bye-elections and the three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States. Campaigns in public in the three States commenced on July 14, 2023 and will continue until Thursday, November 9, 2023 i.e. 24 hours to the opening of polls on Saturday, November 11, 2023. “Already, there are ominous signs in the form of violent clashes between opposing political parties and candidates.

While maintaining strict neutrality, security agencies should take decisive action against purveyors of violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process,” he stated.

Yakubu observed that the Commission has been engaging with staff and critical stakeholders for the review of the election, adding that, “this is the seventh meeting since the commencement of the reviews about four weeks ago on July 4, 2023.”

Noting that election is a multi-stakeholder activity, Yakubu observed that though INEC drives the process, a secure environment for the conduct of peaceful elections is the responsibility of the security agencies working in partnership with the Commission.

He recalled that the synergy between INEC and security agencies enabled the country to overcome many of the challenges prior to the 2023 general election, including the targeted attacks on INEC offices nationwide.

“Indeed, the concern that the perennial insecurity in some parts of country before the election may make our deployment of personnel and materials, and consequently the conduct of polls, impossible did not materialise. We wish to place on record our appreciation to the security agencies and other members of ICCES for the largely peaceful conduct of the polls,” he added.

Yakubu stressed the need for all stakeholders to draw lessons from the challenges that occurred during the 2023 elections for improved performance not only in the next polls but also in the bye-elections, eight off-cycle Governorship elections and other electoral activities to be held over the next three years.