Ahead of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has issued a stern warning against the abuse of incumbency power. He emphasized that denying opposition parties access to campaign spaces could lead to breaches of peace and undermine the electoral process.
According to PUNCH, speaking at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja on Thursday, Yakubu highlighted the importance of providing security for both INEC personnel and the materials that will be deployed for the upcoming elections. He noted, “We need security protection for the registrants, registration personnel, equipment, observers, and journalists that will cover the CVR exercise.”
The Edo State governorship election is slated for September 21, 2024, while the Ondo State election will take place on November 16, 2024. Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in both states will run simultaneously from Monday, May 27, to Wednesday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, including weekends. Campaigns by political parties in Edo State commenced on April 24, 2024, and will conclude at midnight on September 19, 2024.
Yakubu reassured the responsibility of security agencies to enforce the law throughout the election period, ensuring a peaceful and orderly process. He urged security personnel to monitor the electioneering process closely to prevent violent attacks and negative mobilization by political parties, candidates, and their supporters.
“Similarly, the use of the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties and candidates access to public facilities, such as radio and television stations, public buildings for campaigns and rallies, or even outdoor advertising through the imposition of excessive fees and levies often results in the breach of the peace. These actions, including the mutual destruction of campaign materials and facilities, violate the provisions of Sections 91 to 97 of the Electoral Act 2022. The security agencies must ensure the enforcement of the law,” Yakubu stated.
The National Security Adviser and co-chair of ICCES, Nuhu Ribadu, reiterated the need for the same level of dedication and effort in the forthcoming elections as was demonstrated in previous ones. Represented by the Director of Internal Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Hassan Abdullahi, Ribadu stressed the importance of strategic deployment to avoid overburdening the system. “The same efforts for the previous elections would be extended to the forthcoming elections. However, we need to be careful in our deployment in terms of numbers so that we will not overburden the system,” he said.