Independent National Electoral Commission, on Monday, expressed fears that the worsening insecurity across the country may truncate the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at the validation of election security training resources in Abuja.
He noted that the February elections face serious threat of cancellation if the insecurity across the country continues to escalate.
Yakubu, who was represented by the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, stated that “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 declaration of election results and precipitate constitutional crisis.”
But INEC assured that it would not take chances in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
The Commission’s chairman said, “We all appreciate the fact that election security is vital to democratic consolidation through provision of enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process.
“Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
“This is particularly significant to the commission given the current insecurity challenges in various parts the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps members constitute the core of the polling unit election officials.
“This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen.
“Therefore, security personnel in particular and all election 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.”