EMEKA NZE writes that the acknowledgement within the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCES), that elections security in the country has been hitherto flawed may be usher in a new era of walking the talk
Reason for two IACCES meetings in one month
In barely one month, the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCES) , at the instance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) , has met two times against the usual quarterly meetings of elections stakeholders.
The IACCES comprises a potpourri or mixture of security agencies such as the army, the police, Department of State Security (DSS) , the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) the Federal Road Safety Service (FRSC) amongst other paramilitary agencies.
Rationale for inclusion of EFCC, ICPC
At the last meeting INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu introduced as members of the IACCES the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The reason according to Yakubu, is for both anti-graft agencies to tackle what he described as “the illegal deployment of financial resources to influence the outcome of elections, including vote-buying at polling units on election day.”
He further explained the rationale for the inclusion of EFCC and ICPC. “The meeting, recognising the existing collaboration with the anti-corruption agencies in tracking financial flows for illicit purposes as well as the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of such flows, especially for the purpose of corrupting the electoral process through vote-buying, resolved that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should be included as members of ICCES. On this note, it is my pleasure to welcome the Acting Chairman of the EFCC Mr. Ibrahim Magu as well as the Chairman of the ICPC Professor Bolaji Owasanoye to this meeting as members of ICCES.”
Admitting flaws of previous elections
The two meetings ordinarily ought not to evoke any commentary or sentiment given its routine nature, especially, as re-run elections approach as slated for January 25, 2020. But the uniqueness of the last two meetings lies in frankness and tough talk that characterised the meetings.
For the first time, both INEC and the security agencies displayed strict sternness and bluntly told themselves the truth against the shoddiness and haphazard commitment with which the election duty security personnel have hitherto carried out their jobs in the field, sometimes leaving election duty staff and materials at the mercy of marauders who more often unleash arson and carte away ballot boxes and undermine the entire electoral process.
A visibly angry Yakubu said, “The Commission is concerned that security deployment in some of the most recent elections left much to be desired. There is more emphasis on numbers of security personnel to be deployed but less consideration on strategic deployment to protect the process, leaving the voters, election officials, party agents, observers, the media and even unarmed security personnel at polling units vulnerable to attacks by thugs and hoodlums.
“Furthermore, there is emphasis on numbers of security personnel but less on synergy, coordination and collaboration among the various security agencies in line with the purpose for which ICCES was established.”
The charge for security agencies to rise to their duties
Never before has the INEC chairman been this forthright, as he did in the two previous meetings, putting the blame where it squarely lies. What he fell short of mentioning was the police helicopter which allegedly shot tear gas and live bullets from the sky in Kogi state during the last gubernatorial election.
While urging the security agencies to rise up to their responsibilities, Yakubu said: “It is the responsibility of the security agencies to secure the environment for the successful conduct of elections. The purpose of security deployment during elections is to protect the voters, election officials and materials, accredited observers, the media and to safeguard the integrity of the processes generally, including the polling units and collations centres.
“We must translate the new approach to reality in the forthcoming re-run elections such that Nigerians will see a qualitatively different security arrangement. No thugs and hoodlums can be more powerful than the Nigeria Police and other security agencies. It is the failure to act decisively and collaboratively that encourages thuggery and serves as an incentive for bad behaviour”.
INEC’s overhaul of security and repercussions of violence
Although he had at the December 11 meeting announced what looked like an overhaul of security, at the last meeting, the read the riot act at the last meeting when he said, “Going forward, INEC has decided that although the Commission has no power under the law to cancel an election, it will not proceed with the process in any constituency where the safety of our personnel and materials is not guaranteed. No collation of results will proceed where the collation centres are invaded. No declaration of winners will be made where Returning Officers are threatened.”
NSA, IGP to synergise
On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Co-Chairman of ICCES, Major General Babagana Mungono (Rtd), said lessons had been learnt from previous elections and assured that the lessons learnt would be reflected on future elections, starting from the January 25, 2020.
The NSA said “What we need to do is to address the challenges that we had in the previous elections to ensure that these things do not reoccur. Securing the environment, protecting the electorate and those who will engage in the process, INEC officials and other state officials is a responsibility of all of us”.
“Without active and sincere collaboration, we cannot instill confidence in the larger society. It is extremely important also for us to know that this time around, whatever gave rise to the problems we had in the last elections, we must be able to deal with”, he added.
The ICCES co-chairman maintained that henceforth, “there must be consequences for crimes and bad behaviors, not only in relation to thugs, criminals, outlaws and people who just want to upset the entire system but our own elements, our own agents, who either by design or by default will want to scuttle this process must be brought to book”.
“For the first time in the history of this country, we must be able to carry through to a logical conclusion, any acts that are contrary to what the state has placed. Anybody who behaves outside the confines of legitimacy will have to be dealt with. Anything that is illegal, we are not going to allow it to be pushed under the carpet”.
IGP warning
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, called for synergy between INEC and Security personnel on election duty. He stressed that “Without proper security no election can take place and, in every election, a lot of resources and personnel are committed into the process before results are announced”.
The IGP also sent a note of warning to perpetrators of electoral violence, ballot snatching, security personnel, INEC officials, and politicians that may wish to undermine the electoral process that no one would be spared under the law.
New era of guaranteed security during elections?
With the foregoing, Nigerians anticipate a likely more improved security agencies which effectively and efficiently man the polling units, the collation centres, patrol the environment on a election day to guarantee the safety of voters, materials and the duty staff. It is expected that the security agencies will rightfully assume their duties to reduce the nightmare which Nigeria’s electoral system has become.
It is also hoped that vote buying which has become the trademark of Nigeria’s election would henceforth be checked.These Nigerians hope would begin with the re-run elections slated for January 25 across eleven states of the federation and other elections thereafter.
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