The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

  • Let peace reign

    It is no longer news that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Saturday unexpectedly announced a shift in the 2019 Presidential election which was slated for the day, and March 2, 2019.

    But the postponement no doubt left many Nigerians surprised as they had already prepared themselves to vote for candidates of their choice in the first sets of the election.

    Their plans for the following day before they slept last Friday night changed when they woke up on Saturday morning. They were faced with the realities on the ground: no election.

    Announcing the postponement, the INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had attributed his action to challenges including logistics, poor weather, fire incidents and overwhelmed Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the last-minute rush.

    He said: “Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan and the determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections, the Commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible.

    “Consequently, the Commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly Elections to Saturday, 23rd February 2019. Furthermore, the governorship, state House of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections is rescheduled to Saturday, March 9, 2019.

    “This will afford the Commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections. This was a difficult decision for the Commission to take, but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of our democracy,” he said.

    It should also not be lost on Nigerians that the former INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, who conducted the 2015 general elections, described as the freest in Nigeria, at some point had to shift the election due to some challenges, just like he did during the 2011 general elections.

    But reactions to the latest postponement appeared to be dividing the political parties more.

    In their first reactions after the announcement, none of the major political parties publicly identified with or supported INEC in its latest decision. The electoral umpire appeared to be standing alone.

    Also before last Saturday, there have been accusations and counter-accusations, especially between the two major parties claiming that the other party has bought over the INEC.

    This trend continued during the reactions to the postponement of the elections on Saturday.

    The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) immediately rejected the postponement.

    PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, maintained that the postponement was a deliberate pre-determined agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to cling on to power and a grand design by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to thwart the will of Nigerians at all cost.

    “The party will not accept anything short of a well-organised electoral process devoid of manipulation, harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP.

    “Having failed in all their nefarious options to enable them cling on to power, the APC and the INEC came up with the idea of shifting election an action that is dangerous to our democracy and unacceptable.”

    In the same vain, the PDP Presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said “This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turn out is low on the rescheduled date.

    “Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, March 9, respectively.

    “Knowing that the Nigerian people are determined to reject them, they are desperate and will do anything in their power to avoid their rejection by the Nigerian people.

    “Their plan is to provoke the public, hoping for a negative reaction, and then use that as an excuse for further anti-democratic acts.

    “As such, I call on all Nigerians to be patient. We have tolerated the maladministration of this government for four years. We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes,” he stated.

    The ruling party, APC, apart from adding its voice to the condemnation of the postponement, also expressed surprise at the development.

    A statement by APC Presidential Campaign Council (Official Spokesperson) and Director of Strategic Communications,

    Festus Keyamo said “We have just received with great disappointment and disillusionment the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to postpone the Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/House of Assembly Elections to Saturday, February 23, 2019 and Saturday, March 9, 2019, respectively.

    “We condemn and deprecate this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible. President Muhammadu Buhari had since cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring everything it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it.

    “This news is therefore a huge disappointment to us and to our teeming supporters nationwide and around the world, many of whom have come into the country to exercise their franchise.

    “We do hope that INEC will remain neutral and impartial in this process as the rumor mill is agog with the suggestion that this postponement has been orchestrated in collusion with the main opposition, the PDP that was NEVER ready for this election.

    “We note that all the major credible demographic projections have predicted a defeat of the PDP and it seriously needed this breather to orchestrate more devious strategies to try and halt President Buhari’s momentum. It did the same as the ruling Party in 2015, when it realized the game was up, by orchestrating the postponement of the 2015 elections by six weeks. Now, it may be up to its old trick again.

    “We have earlier raised the alarm that the PDP is bent on discrediting this process the moment it realized it cannot make up the numbers to win this election. We are only urging INEC not collude with the PDP on this.

    “We are truly worried because as early as Friday morning, some known PDP Social Media influencers unwittingly announced this postponement, but quickly deleted the message and apologized to the public that it was fake news. We do not want to be forced to a situation of announcing our  total loss of confidence in INEC, because we know where that would leave our democracy,” he stated.

    Buhari, who had to cut short his trip to his home state, Katsina State on Saturday, said “I am deeply disappointed that despite the long notice given and our preparations both locally and internationally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections within hours of its commencement.

    “Many Nigerians have traveled to various locations to exercise their right to vote, and international observers are gathered.

    “INEC themselves have given assurances, day after day and almost hour after hour that they are in complete readiness for the elections.  We and all our citizens believed them.

    “This administration has ensured that we do not interfere in any way with the work of INEC except to ensure that all funds were released to the commission.

    “We now urge INEC to ensure not only that materials already distributed are safe and do not get into wrong hands, but that everything is done to avoid the lapses that resulted in this unfortunate postponement, and ensure a free and fair election on the rescheduled dates.

    “While I reaffirm my strong commitment to the independence, neutrality of the electoral umpire and the sanctity of the electoral process and ballot, I urge all political stakeholders and Nigerians to continue to rally round INEC at this trying national moment in our democratic journey.

    “I, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from all civil disorder and remain peaceful, patriotic and united to ensure that no force or conspiracy derail our democratic development,” he said.

    It’s very important for the stakeholders, even after the postponement announcement, to continue to respect the first and second National Peace Accord signed by the candidates of the various political parties.

    Noting that millions of people across the world were praying for Nigeria and its people, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland had said during the second peace accord signing ceremony last Wednesday: ”It is a burden that Nigerian leaders gathered here today carry. We call on their party, supporters and public to follow their lead. Elections will come and go, but this great Nigeria will remain.”

    Peace should be maintained at all costs, and just like President Buhari noted during the peace accord signing, Nigeria is the real party, and must be protected.

  • No more campaigns, collection of PVCs — INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says  there is no more room for political campaign or collection of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in spite of the postponement of elections dates by one week.

    The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure while fielding questions at the commission’s meeting with stakeholders, on Saturday in Abuja.

    Yakubu said that the deadline for the collection of PVCs and elections campaign by political parties according to election timetable has passed.

    “Campaign closed on Thursday, Feb. 14, and for the period that remain campaign remained closed.

    “All the other process that remain in the main timetable remain closed including the collection of PVC, except the conduct of the elections,” he said.

    On why the commission did not consult party leaders before adjusting the dates of the elections, Yakubu said that it was due to the urgency and that Section 36 of the Electoral Act  empowered the commission to do so.

    “We have to take a decision and communicate because polls were suppose to open at 8a.m. and we took the decision at 2a.m,” he said.

    Yakubu while answering question on why the commission waited till about 3a.m on Saturday before postponing the elections, said that up till 2a.m the commission was still hopeful that elections would hold as scheduled.

    On whether the commission has enough fund should the elections be postponed again, Yakubu said that INEC was not complaining, adding that the commission do not intend to postpone any of the elections again.

    On request that INEC should compensate  political parties for the change in dates, Yakubu said that INEC did not finance parties.

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomole, expressed displeasure that INEC waited till last few hour before announcing the postponement to Nigerians, demanding the apology of Yakubu to Nigerians and political parties.

    He said the postponement entailed huge loss to political parties who had no public fund to fall on like INEC, saying if the postponement was done on time, loss and inconveniences to political parties would have been avoided.

    “Serious inconveniences has been caused, Nigerians have been subjected to rude shock and I fell extremely cold.

    “I think we should be honest. I am shocked, disappointed and disgusted.

    “The real question I will insist, Mr Chairman by all due respect, is to tell us why by Wednesday you did not announce the postponement, since you acknowledged that the weather was bad.

    “You should have taken all these into account and announced this postponement at least 48 hours before the elections time, so that political parties don’t have to mobilise resources across 176,000 Polling units.

    “Observer will stay where they were and a lot of inconveniences would have been saved,” Oshiomole said.

    Representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Osita Chidoka, former Aviation Minister and Chairman, Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, commended decision of the commission for not allowing the experienced challenges to lead to staggered elections.

    Chidoka, requested for INEC assurance that Activate Technologies Limited, one of the companies producing the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), would not be involved in the retrieval and reconfiguration of card readers to be used for the rescheduled elections.

    He said that available information was that the Managing Director of of the company was a senatorial candidate of APC in Niger State.

    He also requested that the commission should allow independent verification that sensitive materials to be retrieved to the CBN had not been opened or tampered with.

    The National Chairman, Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), Chief Peter Ameh, said initially he was angered that INEC did not consult political parties like it was being done before change of election date in the past.

    Ameh, who is also the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), however, said that with the explanation by INEC Chairman, it was clear that the decision was taken in the interest of the nation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that INEC had shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23 and the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections from March 2 to March 9. (NAN)

  • PDP rejects postponement

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has rejected the postponement of the general elections by one week.

    He claimed in a statement moment after the confirmation of the polls postponement that the alleged  shoddy arrangement for the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) was  a “deliberate pre-determined agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to cling on to power even when it’s obvious to him that Nigerians want him out.”

    Secondus asked the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign.

    He also said the postponement was part of a grand design by the All Progressives Congress, (APC), to thwart the will of Nigerians at all cost.

    His words: “The PDP leader warns that the party will not accept anything short of a well- organized electoral process devoid of manipulation,   harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP.

    “Having failed in all their nefarious options to enable them cling on to power, the APC and the INEC came up with the idea of shifting election an action that is dangerous to our democracy and unacceptable.

    “The National Chairman said that the APC in connivance with the INEC have been trying all options including but not limited to burning down INEC offices in some states and destroying of electoral materials to create artificial problems upon which to stand for their dubious act.”

    The PDP chairman, in the statement signed by his chief spokesman, Ike Abonyi said, the PDP  was ” privy to all the pressures from the APC and the federal government to arm-twist the INEC, to dance to their new strategy after their earlier ones failed.

    He added:: “With several of their rigging options failing, they have to force INEC to agree to a shift in the election or a staggered election with flimsy excuses pre-manufactured for the purpose.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP sees this action as wicked and we are also aware of other dubious designs like the deployment of hooded security operatives who would be ruthless on the people ostensibly to scare them away.”

    He said that by the action of the President he has further demonstrated his insensitivity costing the huge cost after Nigerians including those who came home from abroad have all mobilized to their various constituencies.

    The National Chairman said his party had earlier raised the alarm about alleged rigging strategies by the APC including burning down of INEC offices and engineering crisis in PDP stronghold areas to scare away the people.

    Secondus said “the wicked killing of over 60 persons mostly women and children in Southern Kaduna on the eve of election is a copious ploy by the APC to frighten the people away from voting knowing too well that they were not going to record any vote from the area.

    “Recall that the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El Rufai had earlier threatened international election observers of going to their country in body bags and with the fatal violence in the state on the eve of  election, it’s clear what the motives are, to frighten the observers from the state so that he can carry out his nefarious acts.

    The National Chairman also drew the attention of all lovers of democracy to the statement of President Buhari in the international media that nobody can unseat him from office as an indication of what he wants to do.

    Secondus also regretted that President Buhari who made a promise at the signing of peace accord that the election will be conducted in a fair and transparent atmosphere  has gone ahead in breach of the peace agreements to send soldiers and other security agencies to arrest, harass and intimidate opponents in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, Kaduna states.

  • Rivers APC wants INEC boss jailed for contempt

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole want the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu sent to jail for contempt for allegedly refusing to obey an Appeal Court order of stay of execution.

    Director, Strategic Communications for the Tonye Cole Campaign Organization, Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill said in a statement in Abuja that the INEC boss has already been served contempt proceedings to come and explain to the court why he has refused to comply with the order of court.

    Princewill said a delegation from the APC in Rivers State has served contempt proceedings on the Chairman of INEC for not being independent enough.

    According to him, Yakubu is to appear in court to explain why he should not be sent to jail for disobeying subsisting court orders by excluding APC candidates in Rivers State.

    He commended Rivers people for showing restraint and implored them to come out and vote as who becomes President is who determines the leaders in the state, saying “do not be distracted by INEC. If they do not put us on the ballot, that election will be repeated. It will not be an election. But the Presidential is not in doubt. All states must put in their quota towards victory. That includes us too here in Rivers State.

  • Breaking: INEC in crucial meeting over 2019 election

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu is currently in a crucial meeting with stakeholders, including international and local observers over tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly election.

    INEC is considering postponing the election due to some logistics challenges being faced by the commission in many states.

    Details shortly…

  • 2019: INEC is working for Wike, PDP, says Amaechi

    The Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo Re-election Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, of working for Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Amaechi, who is also the Transportation Minister and a former Rivers governor, spoke with reporters on Thursday in his house at the old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, while reacting to Wike’s broadcast.

    He also urged Nigerians to massively vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of APC, in order to take Nigeria to the next level.

    Amaechi said: “I know that everybody has been expecting me to talk on the court cases, but I will not because I am just a member of the party (APC). The party chairman has already said that INEC is working for the PDP. An example that INEC is working for the PDP is a fact that there is a stay of execution granted by the Court of Appeal (in Port Harcourt), just because the INEC Chairman was Director of TETFUND (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) under Wike as Minister of State for Education, he now decided to adhere to the court order to implement and the one not to implement.

    Read also: 2019: PDP plots chaos through Parallel Voting Tabulation System – BMO

    “Obviously, he (INEC chairman) is trying to assist Wike to become a second term governor without an election. We understand his game, but we believe in the judiciary.  You heard the President (Muhammadu Buhari) when he said that the injustice will be addressed. We will deal with the justice and not the judgment.

    “I listened to our governor (Wike) when he spoke (in yesterday’s broadcast) about violence. I do not like violence, because if you kill somebody, you cannot replace the life. APC has just lost 15 persons (to stampede at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, after Buhari’s presidential rally on Tuesday) and I was touring people’s houses and trying to identify with their pains.

    “When former President Goodluck Jonathan came for campaign here (in Port Harcourt) and 23 people died, I saw them eating lunch. Persons have gone, whether for good or for bad, they will never come back. I will never support violence and I will never support injustice.

    “We are going out on Saturday to vote for President Buhari. If INEC decides to obey the stay of execution, then we will arrange for election on Saturday. But since the INEC chairman is working for the PDP and since he does not want to obey the court’s decisions, he was a director of TETFUND, when Wike was a junior minister, so be it. God bless him.”

    The transportation minister also stated that President Buhari was performing impressively and determined to genuinely transform Nigeria, as well as adequately empowering the people, while urging all lovers of democracy and good governance to ensure his re-election on Saturday.

  • INEC to domestic, foreign observers: you’re to observe, not monitor

    …Launches election translation App

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) Tuesday morning briefed accredited domestic and foreign observers on the preparation of the commission ahead of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    Not fewer than 196 observers have been accredited for the elections.

    At the briefing, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu reminded the observers that “You are observers and not monitors.”

    He also assured them of their security, saying that necessary security arrangement has been put in place in all the states they intend to deploy their people to within the country.

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu who also briefed the observers on the security arrangement assured them of the readiness of the security agencies for the polls.

    Adamu noted that the no movement restriction will be observed within INEC stipulated time.

    He also assured Nigerians and the international community that the police will be professional and neutral in the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

    Read Also; INEC engages EFCC, FIU, CBN, others to track campaign finance

    Besides, the IGP said the police to be deployed for duty will not be carrying arms.

    He however said a detachment of armed police will be stationed some distance from the polling units to provide security.

    The Acting IG also noted that police personnel on election duty are expected to wear INEC best for easy identification.

    He noted that the police will be looking out for vote buyers/sellers and also touts so as to prevent disruption of the elections.

    Adamu also urged voters who may want to wait to protect their votes to maintain the distance stipulated by INEC.

    The police boss also warned that security personnel who are not deployed for election should stay away from the polling units, saying any security personnel found wanting will be arrested.

    Likewise, he said observers not accredited will be arrested, after clearance from INEC.

    An App, for the election translation, was also launched as part of the arrangement to ensure smooth observation of the polls.

  • Pictures of underage voting not from Kano – INEC

    … Assures Catholic Bishops of free, fair, credible polls

    Eight months after receiving the report on alleged underage voting in Kano Local Government election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the pictures were processed.

    Yakubu had in May, 2018 absolved INEC from any role in the incident when the report of its investigation committee was turned in. Though the full details of the report were not made public, the commission then pushed the whole blame on Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (SIIEC).

    The National Commissioner, Abubakar Nahuche led committee, which report was made public posited that Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (SIIEC) did not use the INEC voter register to accredit voters before the elections.

    Besides, INEC Chairman said the voters register were not in use in most polling units.

    He, therefore, concluded that the commission was not responsible for the alleged underaged voting, as it has not been linked with the presence of underage registrants on the voter register.

    But during an audience Thursday with members of the Administrative Board of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, as part of the nationwide consultation with stakeholders on the Commission’s readiness for the general elections, Yakubu said all the pictures had nothing to do with the Kano Local Government election.

    His words: “there was a composite picture on social media. When we saw it, we were surprised because, before the local government election,  the Commission had conducted a bye-election in the Minjibir State Constituency in Kano. In that election conducted by INEC, there was no single allegation of the prevalence of underage persons.”

    Besides, the INEC Chairman observed that each of the registered political parties got a copy of the Voters’ Register since 2011 and none of them had ever complained of the prevalence of under-age voters in the Register.

    He wondered:  “So, what happened in the local government election conducted by a different election management body, the Kano State Independent Election Commissions (SIEC)?”

    Prof. Yakubu continued: “We set up a committee to investigate it. We asked the committee to decompose the composite picture that circulated on the social media and then, we saw surprises. All the pictures (on social media) had nothing to do with the Kano local government election. Some were pictures of events that happened 11 years ago. The most interesting for me was the queue of young small boys at an Internally Displaced Camp (IDP) in Bornu state. They were given handouts.

    They cut the head and tail of the queue and it was presented as young persons voting in the Kano local government elections from the INEC register.  Now, even if you have underage persons, you cannot have a polling unit of exclusively for underage persons. We saw this and we responded. I addressed a press conference, and when the agitation continued that we should publish the entire report of the committee, we published it online in March 2018 and since then, we have not heard a single comment.”

  • Polls: We’re good to go, says INEC chair

    WITH the words of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the electoral body is set for the February 16 and March two polls.

    “INEC is good to go as far as the 2019 general elections are concerned”, Prof Yakubu told a delegation of the European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (U.S.) at the Abuja Headquarters of the commission yesterday.

    He reassured the international community and Nigerians that the general elections will be credible, free, fair and transparent.

    The INEC boss also stressed that the elections will be error-free, as the commission will jealously guide the processes. Besides, he assured Nigerians that the outcome of the polls will meet the expectations of all because all votes will count.

    He said: “We are good to go for the 2019 general elections. We are aware that the election is going to be an intense media event but only that international community will also intensely watch the processes as they have always done and I want to assure you that we will not fail the international community and will not fail the nation.

    “We are aware that the long term EU observation mission is on ground, and also the ECOWAS observation mission, so the international community is already in Nigeria for the elections.

    “The 2019 elections will be credible, we will jealously guide the processes; we will ensure that the processes lead to the outcome that all Nigerians expect. Nothing but free, fair, credible elections will be good enough for the commission.”

    Prof Yakubu reiterated that “votes will count in 2029 general elections. We are ready for free, fair and transparent process such that will confirm the position of Nigeria in international community as a nation that conducts credible elections. 2015 was not a fluke, it was a product of deliberate planning and 2019 is going to be the same.”

    Briefing his guest on the preparation made so far by the commission ahead of the elections, he said: “We are at the moment outing finishing touches to our preparation for the elections. The first election will hold on 16th February with the national presidential and National Assembly and the second election will hold on the 2nd of March, which are the state elections (the governorship, State Assembly elections, and the election into area councils in the Federal Capital Territory.

    “All the heavy items for the elections are being procured in addition to ballot boxes, voting cubicles, replacement smart card readers. The permanent voter cards have also been delivered to the states for collection by citizens.”

    According to him, the commission has been recruiting and will soon commence training for the ad hoc staff for the elections.

    Speaking earlier, David Young, Charge D’Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, spoke on the expected neutrality of the security agencies during the elections.

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    He stressed need for INEC to stick to their role of protecting the electorates and ballot materials and avoid any form of interference with the voting process.

    Young said: “I would want express the concern that we have and that is the neutrality of the security services. For us it is very important in the ongoing season that the security services are very smart, provide security for the elections and security in the safety of the process.

    “It should be done in such a way that it does not interfere with people getting to the polls, poll watchers, civil society organization and other to have access to ensure the voting goes freely both in February 16th and March 2nd.

    “This is something we have been deliberating strongly about. The neutrality of the security services is one of the very important issues for credible elections.”

    Young also spoke on the need for a better synergy among the three arms of government, saying that the executive, legislature and judiciary are crucial to democracy.

    He said: “I also want to say that we appreciate very much the important the role judiciary plays in Nigeria.”

  • 2019: INEC chair Yakubu raises concern over security

    With just two months to the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified security as a major challenge.

    The concern was raised as the commission said that all the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for those who recently registered have been processed for collection at the INEC’s offices across the 774 local government area secretariats.

    The commission is still working on the applications for replacement and transfer.

    INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also noted that the conduct of some security personnel, who have the responsibility of securing the environment has become a major issue.

    Yakubu, who spoke yesterday in Abuja at the Police/stakeholders’ security summit, organised by the Police, however, said that the commission will engage with the security agencies, particularly the police, in defining new parameters for the deployment of security personnel in the electoral process.

    He also urged the security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality.

    He said: “As with all elections, security is going to be a major issue in the 2019 general elections. Security agencies have a responsibility to secure the environment for elections. In doing so, there is the overriding responsibility for professionalism and neutrality.

    “The rules of engagement must be clear to all. Learning from the cumulative experience of the off-season elections conducted into 195 constituencies since the 2015 general elections, the conduct of some security personnel has become a major issue of discussion. We are deeply concerned.”

    The INEC boss also noted that it has become imperative to review  the template for the elections so as to reassure Nigerians and international community of the commission’s preparedness to conduct free, fair and transparent elections.

    Prof. Yakubu said: “Consequently, it is imperative to review the template for the 2019 general elections in order to reassure Nigerians and the international community of our commitment to credible elections and to protect the sanctity of the electoral process.

    “INEC will engage with the security agencies, particularly the police, in defining new parameters for the deployment of security agencies in the electoral process.

    “As I said at a recent workshop on election security, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), INEC shall fully apply the provision of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which places in the commission the sole responsibility for requesting the deployment of security personnel necessary for elections.

    “ The responsibility for assigning them is also to be determined by the commission. INEC will remain responsible for the conduct of elections. The security agencies will continue to secure the environment in a manner that voters, observers and the media shall not feel intimidated or harassed.

    “The process of conducting election shall remain the responsibility of INEC. We will continue to emphasise this point in our interaction with the security agencies both in a forum such as this as well as the meetings of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCESS).”

    He noted that the commission shall continue to work with the security agencies for the arrest and prosecution of violators of the electoral Act. A collaboration which, according to him, has led to the prosecution of 42 electoral offenders.

    “Working together with the police, we have successfully prosecuted 42 electoral offenders following violent disruption of the Minjibir State Constituency bye-election in Kano in 2016. Similarly, a number of other prosecutions are ongoing in Rivers State, and most recently in Osun State where the police has forwarded nine  case, files to the commission, out of which three  cases involving vote buying and illegal possession of PVCs, are being prosecuted. INEC believes that the best deterrence to violations of the law during elections is swift prosecution. We will continue to work with the security agencies in this regard.”

    Speaking on INEC’s preparation for the 2019 polls, Yakubu said that the commission has already implemented six out of the 14 activities as outlined in the timetable and schedule of activities.

    He said: ”I wish to assure you that INEC has gone far with our preparations. We have already implemented six  of the 14 activities strictly on schedule as outlined in the timetable and schedule of activities for the general election which was release almost a year ago (on 9th January, this year),” he said.

    “There is intense interest nationally and around the world in the 2019 general elections. In just a matter of weeks, some international observers will begin the deployment of their long-term observation missions for the election.”

    On PVCs, he said the commission has successfully completed the printing for new registrants. He said: “ I am glad to report that all PVCs for fresh registrants have been printed and delivered to the states and the FCT for collection in our local government area offices for now. The commission plans to devolve the collection to at least the Ward level soon. We will keep citizens informed of the process.

    He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders including traditional rulers and religious leaders, socio-cultural associations, civil society organisations and the media to similarly mobilise the new registrants to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    However, the 1,178,793 requests for replacement of damaged, defaced or lost PVCs as well as the 769,917 requests for intra and inter-state transfers are being processed.

    The PVCs he said, will be delivered to the states by the end of this week.