For peaceful elections in Edo and Ondo States, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has solicited the support of the National Peace Committee (NPC) in its appeal to stakeholders in the electoral process to allow for peaceful elections.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made the appeal when he led a team of National Commissioners to honour NPC’s invitation to brief the body on the Commission’s preparations for the two off-cycle governorship elections in the two states, which are 35 days and 91 days away respectively.
The NPC, a non-governmental initiative, conceptualized in 2014 in response to emerging threats occasioned by the 2015 General elections. Chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalam A. Abubakar (Rtd) GCFR, Its membership is made up of eminent elder statesmen who support free, fair, and credible elections and intervene in critical issues of national concern through high-level mediated and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
While appreciating the NPC for its contribution to peaceful elections, Prof. Yakubu noted that since its debut and support for peaceful elections, the Commission’s elections have become more peaceful than before. He urged the Committee not to relenting in its peace efforts.
Speaking on preparations for the September and November elections, the INEC Chairman said the Commission had successfully undertaken nine out of 13 activities outlined in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Elections, which was released in September last year.
He said the next activity, which is the 10th, would be carried out on Tuesday next week when the Commission will present the Register of Voters to all the political parties fielding candidates in Edo state.
His words: “All the activities that INEC is supposed to conduct have been conducted without hitches. Not one activity has been adjusted for one day. All these activities are going to coalesce on Election Day on the 21st of September, and the Election Day is beyond the responsibilities of INEC alone. The political parties, observers, the media, the security agencies, and everybody have a role to play.
“The biggest challenge we have been facing in the management of elections is what happens on Election Day. That is why the role of the National Peace Committee becomes pertinent in terms of appealing to all the actors, as we build up to the election, during the election, and also after the election.”
On the Commission’s anticipated concerns ahead of the polls, the INEC Chairman once again raised the issue of the involvement of state-controlled security outfits, such as the Edo State Security Network, and possibly the Amotekun in Ondo state. But he explained that the Police in both states had given the assurance of their non-participation in the elections.
Another potential area of concern, he mentioned, are the activities of non-state actors and armed groups, who are capable of disrupting the peace and electoral process before it is concluded in the two States. He said the Commission had raised such concerns at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICESS) meeting held recently, and would continue to engage with security agencies to get responses on what action has been taken.
Prof. Yakubu also spoke about the Commission’s strategy to ensure that citizens in Edo and Ondo States are able to pick up their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the elections. He affirmed that the Commission has printed the PVCs for 119, 000 new registrants and voters that made transfer requests or applied for replacement of lost or damaged cards.
He averred: “The total number of PVCs printed is 184,000 for all categories, and I am happy to say that all the cards have arrived in Edo State since Monday. They are currently being sorted out by Local Government, Ward, and polling unit.”
Speaking further on the PVCs, the INEC Chairman said personalized messages will be sent to the new registrants to pick up their cards, adding that the list of all new registrants in Edo state will be published on the Commission’s website by next week, to enable voters to check for where to collect their cards.
Members of the NPC present at the briefing include the Chairman, General Abdulsalam A. Abubakar (Rtd); its Convener, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah; His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Professor Ameze Guobadia; Dame Priscilla Kuye; General Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd) CFR; and Professor Ibrahim Gambari CFR
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