The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,
yesterday, rebuffed entreaties to postpone next month’s round of elections,
saying it was financially and mentally set for the polls.
The commission, nevertheless, affirmed that the go-ahead for
elections in the troubled Northeast would be given by security agencies.
Also yesterday, the Inspector General of Police, Sulieman
Abba, vowed to deal with errant politicians who heat up the polity through
negative utterances, saying he would show to them that no one could be above
the law.
The assertions at a workshop for the training of security
agencies ahead of the general elections came as INEC said the conduct of
election in the troubled Northeast would be determined by the counsel of
security agencies.
Chairman, INEC Electoral Training Institute, Dr Ishmaeal
Igbani, who spoke on behalf of the commission in giving the readiness of the
commission for the polls said the commission was comfortable with the fund it
has at its disposal at the moment.
He said: “Anytime there is election in Nigeria, there is
always some form of tension. I have been around for a while and I don’t think
it is something new. I don’t think people should be afraid. But it is also
essential that we get ready just in case.”
Lagos pastor, Tunde Bakare had last Sunday called for the
postponement of the elections for the purpose of allowing tension among
political gladiators to ebb.
According to him, “it is also very important that we have
peaceful elections, it is also important that voters come out to vote without
fear. It is also important that the personnel who will work for us and the
environment itself is peaceful and for it to be peaceful, it is important for
the security agencies to be alert and ensure that they do what they are
supposed to do.”
He said a minimum of 50 personnel were being trained,
adding: “We call this cascade training. After this training of trainers who
will now go to their various security organisations to train others and so
forth which will go down the line in that way. More will be trained in a more
cheaper way.“
Elections in
North-East
Speaking on the possibility of conducting elections in the
North-East, he said: “Our work in the commission is to conduct elections; other
people have been given that assignment. They are in a better position to answer
that. But what I can tell you is that once the coast is clear we will hold
elections.
On the alleged paucity of funds by the commission to conduct
elections, he said: “We are comfortable with what we have. I am just hearing of
that for the first time. Nobody will postpone election. Why will it be
postponed?”
Commenting on the prospect of internally displaced persons
in the Northeast voting, he said the INEC committee charged with finding a
solution to the issue had yet to submit its report.
Police warn
politicians
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, speaking through
the Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Monitoring, Mohammed Ghanzali,
said the police, being the leading security agency for all elections, will
enforce the rule of the law.
He said: “If you (political actors) commit any offence, the
agencies here will go back and ensure they cascade what they have learnt here
today and you will be arrested and dealt with accordingly. So the politicians
must play by the rules.”
Referring specifically to politicians planning to cause
trouble in the course of the elections, he said: “The only thing is that we are
going to deal with anybody that thinks he is above the law. All I am saying is
that politicians should obey the law.
“We are to make sure that we secure the area as the leading
agency for election. We have nothing to say other than for them to obey the
rules of the law. If they don’t obey the rules of law, we will deal with them
in accordance with the law.”
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