Attacks on INEC facilities won’t affect conduct of 2023 polls, says Yakubu

 As UK pledges to ensure credible elections in Nigeria

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Yakubu has assured Nigerians that the recent attacks on its facilities and burning down of its offices, on some parts of the country, will not, in any way, affect the conduct of the 2023 general  election as scheduled.

Yakubu expressed the firm optimism that INEC would recover from the losses.

The INEC Chairman spoke yesterday when he received the delegation of  Africa Union Special Pre- Electoral  Political Mission led by Phumzile Mlambo-  Ngcuka in Abuja.

He however confirmed that some election materials already delivered for 2023 general elections have been lost to recent attacks on its offices in different parts of the country.

Yakubu said that in spite of INEC progress and  preparations for 2023 general election,  the commission was still concerned about the security situation generally in the country particularly the incidence of attacks on its facilities.

His words, “In the last three weeks, three of our local government offices were attacked in three different states of the federation and the last one occurred yesterday in the South Eastern part of the country.

“Although there were no casualties but quite a number of the materials already acquired and delivered for the elections have been lost.

“Now, the good thing is that so far, we can recover from all the looses but it’s a source of concern. This shouldn’t be allowed to continue.

“So, we will continue to engage with the security agencies to make sure that these offices as well as personnel and our facilities are protected ahead of the election.

“We may express some concern about the attack on these facilities but it will never deter the commission from going ahead with the election as scheduled”, he said

The INEC has re-emphasised that the deployment of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC  Results Viewing Portal (IReV) for voter accreditation, for uploading of PU results on real time have come to stay.

He maintained, stoutly, that there was no going back on the deployment of those technologies because it was a requirement of the law making it mandatory for INEC to do so.

Yakubu recalled that between August 2020 and July 2022, the technologies had been deployed for about 105 off cycle  and by-elections including Anambra, Ekiti and Osun Governorship election.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the AU  Special Pre-Electoral Political Mission Mlambo-  Ngcuka, said they were in Nigeria  as a partner on a supportive mission.

 Mlambo-  Ngcuka, a member of the Panel of the Wise and former Deputy President of South Africa, added the the mission  was very keen to ensure that Nigeria has peaceful and credible  election process.   

According to the leader of the AU Special Pre-Election Mission, “We would like to hear from you how much u are prepare for this election. How much consensus. Is there a margin, on the electoral process and potential dialogue that you may need to encourage among the contesting parties as well as society.

“We would like also to know that is the working relationship between yourself and the contesting parties is proceeding as expected. 

“We’re also keen to hear about the role and contributions of CSO, women and young people in particular which we know as people are very much interested in the process and the outcome of this elections.

“And in general, all methods that you may want to share with us about these elections including how much supported you’re financially and the means it takes to work for it,” Mlambo-  Ngcuka said.