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Insecurity may lead to postponement or cancellation of elections, INEC warns
The widespread insecurity across the country if not decisively dealt with might ultimately culminate in the cancellation and or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has warned.
The commission noted that such cancellation or postponement would hinder the declaration of election results and may lead to a constitutional crisis.
National Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of the Electoral Institute, Professor Abdullahi Zuru, expressed the concern at a two-day Validation Workshop of Election Security Training Resources in Abuja on Monday.
Zuru, however, said the commission is leaving nothing to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel and materials and processes ahead of the general election.
According to Zuru, the Commission is taking election security seriously because of security challenges in parts of the country and the fact that National Youth Service Corps Members constitute the core of the Polling Unit Election Officials.
“We all appreciate the fact that Election Security is vital to democratic consolidation through the provision of enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process,” Zuru said.
“Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 General elections, the Commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
“This is particularly significant to the Commission given the current insecurity challenges in various parts of the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members constitute the core of the Polling Unit Election officials. Moreover, if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder the declaration of election results and precipitate a constitutional crisis. This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen. Therefore, Security Personnel in particular and all electoral officials, in general, must be security conscious and alert to unusual activities in their environment and must be fully equipped to deal with any challenge at all times.
“To this end, the National Security Adviser, Gen. Mohammed Babagana Monguno, CFR and the Chairman, INEC have jointly assured the nation that a conducive environment will be provided for the successful conduct of the 2023 general Election. Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has conducted Election Security Management Workshops across the Six Geopolitical Zones.”
“On its part, the Commission, through The Electoral Institute, has institutionalised the development and implementation of a cascaded training mechanism for security personnel as a critical component of its training plan.
Zuru maintained that the “progressive and commendable” improvement of security personnel during the Osun and Ekiti Governorship Elections is tied to the electoral security training conducted by the Electoral Institute.
On his part, the Director General of The Electoral Institute, Dr Sa’ad Umar Idris emphasized that the Election Security Training Documents will play a very critical role in the effective training of Security Personnel in securing the electoral environment for free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.
Dr Idris also said the outcome of the workshop will lead to an improvement in the professionalism of securing the electoral environment.
The four documents to be validated are the electoral security personnel training manual, the electoral security personnel facilitator’s guide, the electoral security handbook and the basic security in election duty handbook.
In his goodwill message, the country director of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES, Serah Jah, said managing security threats in the electioneering process is a tall order for INEC.
He said to effectively provide security during elections, security personnel need adequate training on their roles and responding to polls.
He went on to restate IFES’ commitment to continue its partnership with INEC and its members in building a sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking Persons (NAPTIP) says it is proposing the establishment of a command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to tackle cases of Violence against Persons (VAP).
The Director-General of the agency, Mrs Binta-Adamu Bello, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the 2024 stakeholder’s coordination meeting on implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015 and corresponding state laws.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was supported by Ford Foundation to commemorate the first day of the 2024 Global 16 Days of Activism, an annual campaign to challenge violence against women and girls.
The NAPTIP boss said that the establishment of the FCT command would further solidify the agency’s commitment toward eradicating social menace, especially with the issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the nation’s capital.
According to the NAPTIP boss, it is expected that the command will enhance quicker response to SGBV cases, improve coordination among stakeholders, provide specialised support services for survivors and strengthen investigation and prosecution.
She said that the command would serve as a model for other states and strengthen stakeholders’ collective efforts to eradicate SGBV within the FCT, while inviting the stakeholders’ input and expertise in facilitating the move.
She said “I have strong conviction that we will leave here with renewed vision toward eradicating the ills associated with violence against persons and in turn, make the country safer and more habitable.
“It is gratifying to note that this meeting is holding on the first day of the Global 16 Days of Activism, which is an annual campaign to challenge violence against women and girls.
“The theme for this year is “Towards Beijing +30: Unite to End Violence against Women and Girls”, which resonates with the 30th anniversary review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and platform for action.
“At this point, I must commend the efforts of Ford Foundation for graciously supporting this meeting under the project “Strengthening Government Approach in Preventing and Responding SGBV.”
She reiterated NAPTIP’s commitment to work with states, the mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat of the FCT and Civil Society Organisations to implement laws that abhor
Violence against women and girls.
Mrs Tolulola Odugbesan, the acting Director, VAP Department, NAPTIP, said that the coordination meeting was an opportunity for stakeholders to connect, proffer guidance, reflect on concerns, review successes and identify gaps.
She added that the meeting was also to discuss challenges, assess the level and effectiveness of intervention efforts and proffer recommendations and far-reaching strategies associated with the implementation of the VAPP Act 2015.
The Plateau Government says it has concluded arrangements to organise free medical care for 200,000 residents.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Cletus Shukuk, made the disclosure on Monday in Jos at the official launch of “Project 10 Million; Know Your Number, Control Your Number.”
Shukuk explained that the free medical care was basically screening for hypertension and diabetes, which were non-communicable diseases.
The commissioner stated that the programme was a comprehensive intervention strategically in line with the national campaign of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum to combat the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
According to him, the project would provide immediate counselling and referral and would also link newly diagnosed patients to treatment facilities.
Shurkuk further said that the increased public awareness would be carried out on hypertension and diabetes.
“The project would support the creation of a hypertension and diabetes register and, in turn, improve data collection, which would enhance health care policies and planning.
“The screening will be conducted in the 17 local government areas and will be done in selected primary and secondary health care facilities.
“I wish to call on the people of the state to avail themselves for the screening exercise to enable them to know their blood pressure and blood sugar level status,” he advised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Helen Mutfwang, the wife of the governor of Plateau, was made the ambassador of the “project 10 million.”
Mrs Clara Bamisile, the Chairperson, Oye Local Government Area in Ekiti State has commended Gov. Biodun Oyebanji for approving the N70,000 minimum wage for workers.
Bamisile gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Oye-Ekiti on Monday.
She described the governor’s decision as the right step in the right direction towards reducing financial burden for civil servants and making cost of living affordable for them.
According to her, Oyebanji has proved to all Ekiti indigenes that he is a good and compassionate leader, who cares for the wellbeing of his people.
“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, for approving the N70, 000 minimum wage for civil servants in Ekiti.
“He has proved to all Ekiti indigenes that he is worthy, passionate, caring and a good leader, who is ready to make his people happy as we approach yuletide.
“It is a testimony that our governor is ready to make cost of living affordable for our people, and he will not relent to do more if given a chance.”
She urged both Ekiti indigenes and residents to consider Oyebanji for a second term in office to continue his good works.
Bamisile enjoined the civil servants to be diligent in their various departments to justify the salary increment
NAPTIP to establish command in FCT to tackle violence, SGBV cases
Plateau to organise free medical care for 200,000 residents
Minimum wage: LG boss lauds Oyebanji for approving N70,000 for workers
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