INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the warning at the meeting of Inter-Agency
Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) ahead of Saturday elections, held at
the commission’s headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that where such abduction occurs, the commission would not issue Certificates of
Return.
Yakubu said that the commission was worried over the rate of attacks on its personnel and
the loss of lives and election materials recorded during the Feb. 23 Presidential and National
Assembly elections
He said that the Commission was concerned that many of its materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two
weeks ago.
Most worrisome, he said, was the attack on electoral officials, with some abducted and
taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome.
“In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts
of thuggery.
“I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the
largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking
decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators who intent on disrupting the conduct of
peaceful elections.
Yakubu expressed the Commission’s appreciation to the security agencies for securing the
environment during the national elections.
He noted that in the course of securing the elections, the security agencies, electoral officials
and innocent Nigerians suffered needless attacks resulting in casualties, including deaths
and loss of personal and official properties.
“On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest condolence to the families of those who
lost their lives, including personnel of the security agencies. We are glad that the police has
made several arrests and investigation is ongoing.
“I wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission will work closely with the Police to ensure
the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws.
“Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately
after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded,’’ he said.
Yakubu expressed optimism that the Saturday’s election would open by 8 am. going by
arrangements already put in place by the commission.
“On Saturday March 9, Nigerians are once again going to the polls to elect Governors in
29 States, 991 members of Houses of Assembly in all the States of the Federation,
6 Chairmen as well as 62 Councillors for the Area Councils in the FCT.
“A total of 1,082 candidates will be elected by citizens across the country. Learning from the
experience of the Presidential and National Assembly elections held two weeks ago, the
Commission has effectively tackled the challenge of logistics,’’ he said.