Electoral body in Nigeriawants improved security for Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi governorship elections

BY BINTU JIDDA KANEMPRESS

29TH JULY, 2023

The Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified improvement in security for the governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi State.

Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said this at the continued comprehensive review of the 2023 general elections.

Professor Yakubu and INEC members had a meeting with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee On Election Security (ICCES) at the commission’s conference hall in Abuja.

“As we review the conduct of the last general election, we also need to focus our attention on the forthcoming bye-elections and the three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States,” the Electoral chairman said.

Professor Yakubu said he is aware that the public campaigns in the three States commenced on 14th July 2023 and will continue until Thursday, 9th November 2023 – 24 hours before the opening of polls on Saturday, 11th November 2023.

He said there are already ominous signs in the form of violent clashes between opposing political parties and candidates.

“While maintaining strict neutrality, security agencies should take decisive action against purveyors of violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process,” the INEC chairman said.

INEC has in the last two weeks engaged with critical stakeholders who participated in the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria .