By Ezeocha Nzeh
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said Thursday that it would suspend the Shinkafi Constituency bye election in Zamfara state following the security challenges in the area
Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, who stated this during the Commission’s first Quarterly Meeting with Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja, stated that the Commission will however come up with a date for the election after consultations with security agencies
According to Mahmoud, “The date for the Shinkafi State Constituency bye-election in Zamfara State will be decided after consultation with the security agencies regarding the security situation in the area”
The INEC boss who noted further that the Commission would be conducting two end-of-tenure elections in Ekiti and Osun states this years, added that those elections would require adequate commitment from security agencies, who he applauded for their roles during the last governorship election in Anambra state
“In addition to these off-cycle and bye-elections, we must also continue to prepare for the 2023 General Election holding in 394 days. Securing the nation under current circumstances is challenging enough. It is more so in an election year. Beginning from this meeting, we shall focus mainly on the best way to secure the electoral process in the most professional manner
“Undoubtedly, the year 2021 was our busiest since the 2019 General Election. As against our four regular meetings for the year, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) met seven times, including one special and three emergency sessions to plan for election security or to strategise on how best to protect INEC facilities from malicious attacks across the country. During the year, the Commission conducted nine bye-elections in six States of the Federation involving four Federal constituencies, four State constituencies and one Councillorship constituency in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Most importantly, the end of tenure Governorship election in Anambra State passed off peacefully despite the tension and actual violence preceding it.
“The conduct of the Anambra Governorship election will go down in history as a remarkable accomplishment, let me seize this opportunity to commend the professionalism of the security agencies without which the peaceful conduct of the election would not have been possible. I am confident that the standard of professional conduct displayed by INEC officials and the security agencies in the Edo, Ondo and Anambra State Governorship elections will be maintained in all forthcoming polls, including the 2023 General Election. Our responsibility is to protect the process to guarantee its integrity while leaving the outcome of the election for voters to determine.
He however notified them that 2022 would be busier that last year in the Commission’s engagements, noting that there would nine pending bye-elections in seven States of the Federation.
“In addition to these off-cycle and bye-elections, we must also continue to prepare for the 2023 General Election holding in 394 days. Securing the nation under current circumstances is challenging enough. It is more so in an election year. Beginning from this meeting, we shall focus mainly on the best way to secure the electoral process in the most professional manner,” Yakubu stated
In his remarks the National Security Adviser (NSA), to President Muhammadu Buhari, Major General Babagana Mungonu Rtd., stated that the meeting was timely as it will enable members of ICCESS to brainstorm on how to address the identified challenges during the previous election engagements
Mungonu, who was represented by Galadima Sanusi, assured that all available security architecture of the government would be mobilize to actualize successes in the upcoming Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as the 2023 general elections
