As preparations for the 2023 general elections commence there have been continuous and seeming unhindered attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the South-eastern states in the country. ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU takes a look at the implications of these attacks on INEC offices on the forthcoming polls.
Politicians, analysts and other stakeholders have warned that the 2023 general election may not hold if the deplorable security situation was not tackled.
This is as facilities belonging to the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country have come under attacks further putting the 2023 general elections under threat.
Though the federal government and some Nigerians have dismissed these warning signs, the disturbing situation regrettably points to the fact that the conduct of the general elections is threatened.
In the last two years over 25 INEC offices have been burnt. A breakdown of the attacks by Blueprint Weekend showed that between February 2019 and May 2021 INEC offices in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers states, as well as the FCT, have been affected.
Blueprint Weekend investigation also revealed that the South was the most affected zone with four incidents in Akwa Ibom state; three in Abia state; two in Anambra state; three in Ebonyi state; two in Imo state and three in Enugu state.
Regrettably, attacks on INEC’s facilities have led to the damaging of buildings, electricity generating sets, card readers, seven utility vehicles (Toyota Hilux), office equipment, furniture and other electoral materials worth millions of naira.
This is as political analyst have expressed fear that if these attacks continue INEC may find it difficult to conduct the governorship election in Anambra state scheduled for November 2021.
INEC raises the alarm
The INEC has raised the alarm over series of attacks on his facilities, stating that the attacks were aimed at incapacitating the commission in conducting electoral activities.
INEC also noted that the attacks on its facilities in some parts of the country had now become a national emergency.
A statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of the Commission, Barr. Festus Okoye, recently, said the attack on the INEC Akwa Ibom State Headquarters was the most devastating onslaught on the commission’s facilities so far.
Okoye, who stated that the attackers were systematic and selective in their targets, noted that the pavilion which served as Collation Centre during major elections was also burnt down.
The statement read in part, “In what is a major blow to our preparations for the governorship election scheduled for 6th November 2021, two stores housing electoral materials were burnt down.
“New and old (but serviceable) electric generating machines numbering 376 for all the electoral wards and the extra numbers for backup were completely burnt.
“The electric generators were recently relocated from the Local Government Areas (LGAs) to the state headquarters in the belief that it is more secure than the LGA offices.”
He further stated that, “In Imo state, he said the INEC office in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area was attacked at about 6:45pm in an obvious attempt to set the building ablaze. Fortunately, the damage was limited to a section of the building, specifically the windows and part of the roof. No electoral materials or office equipment were destroyed.
“…In Enugu state, INEC office at Igboeze South LGA office was also attacked. This is the third attack on INEC facilities in the state in less than two weeks following the destruction of our Udenu LGA office on May 13, 2021, and the state headquarters building in Enugu was attacked in May 16, 2021.
“All three incidents in Anambra, Imo and Enugu have been reported to the Police for investigation. Although no lives were lost, these are orchestrated and targeted attacks aimed at incapacitating the commission in conducting electoral activities, especially in Anambra state.”
The national commissioner, however, assured that, “In spite of these setbacks, the INEC is determined to continue to discharge its responsibilities including the conduct of the scheduled Anambra state governorship election.
PDP fingers ruling party in attacks
The leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as being behind the burning of offices of the INEC in various parts of the country.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a press statement recently, restated the party’s insisting that, “The APC has been promoting acts of violence including burning of INEC offices in other to build up an emergency situation and frustrate the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.
“It is despicable that having realized that it has no place in the 2023 election, given its abysmal failure in governance, APC leaders are seeking to set our country ablaze and truncate our hard-earned democracy.”
PDP urged Nigerians, “To note the failure of the APC and its leaders to forcefully condemn these clear assaults on our frontline institution of democracy. This is also as the APC administration has failed to take decisive steps to protect INEC facilities from assailants.
“Our party wants the APC to know that May 29, 2023, date is sacrosanct for it to leave office, free our nation from its stranglehold and fizzle out from our political firmament.
“Indeed, history will not be kind to APC and its leaders given the magnitude of atrocities they have committed against Nigerians in a space of six years.
“Our party calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately invite and question APC leaders over the burning of INEC offices.
“Nigerians also expect the police to immediately place APC leaders and their thugs on watch list as a firm step to guarantee the security of INEC facilities and other institutions of democracy in the country,” the PDP publicity secretary further stated.
… APC counters accusations
In a swift response, the APC has countered the accusation of the opposition party, claiming that the PDP was behind the consistent attacks on the INEC facilities and other public institutions with the aim to destabilise the APC-led administration.
The National Secretary, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, in a recent press statement, said: “Using lies and sponsored media attacks on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government, the PDP has inadvertently shown its hands as sponsors behind the politically-motivated attacks on some of our public and democratic institutions in the country, all in a desperate bid to destabilise this government.
“Until now, the APC had deliberately refrained from commenting on the sponsored attacks on INEC facilities in order not to pre-empt the efforts of our security services to unravel the sponsors.
“The truth is now in the open and our security services should act fast and decisively against these enemies of democracy and haters of a legitimately elected government.
“Perhaps, the PDP thinks Nigerians have forgotten its long and documented penchant of eroding and destroying democratic institutions. To name one, was it not the same PDP that attempted to discredit INEC and the entire 2019 election with a bogus tale of a server that never existed and employed hackers to disrupt the communication network of the electoral body during 2019 election?
“A winner cannot destroy the process that brought it to success. From the 2015 to 2019 elections, Nigerians spoke clearly through their votes for the APC by mandating us to rescue the country from the PDPs 16-year misadventure.
“The PDP should address itself to the reality that it stands rejected by the electorates. Its undemocratic plan is ill-fated and will fail woefully.”
‘Attacks to weaken government presence’
A Security Risk Management Expert and Managing Director Beacon Consulting Ltd, Dr Kabir Adamu, has said the attack on INEC facilities is to weaken government presence in the zone.
Dr Adamu, in a phone chat with our correspondent, said, “I see it as an extension against security forces happening in the same region. And the objective is to weaken government presence there; perhaps as a prelude to launching either a secessionist agenda or to make a demand against the election in 2023.
He added that, “It is also a crystallisation of the deep distrust between residents and government security forces, as well as government as a whole. Whatever their objective is, the continued attacks on that location will help them achieve that objective.”
On the way out, he said to address this, “There is a need for engagement. Federal government needs to engage the state governments, explain to the government the consequences of these actions.
“The truth of it is that when these perpetrators are finished with the security formations and INEC, their next target will be state government facilities, including government house.
“So, it is in the interest of both the federal and state governments to work together. And I find it shocking that the 17 Southern governors met and they did not discuss this development. It is more of a threat than the sole called open grazing.
Continuing he said, “The state governments too will need to engage with the people so that they will understand what is happening and get the support of the people towards identifying and prosecuting those that are behind the attacks.
“We don’t have enough security personnel and I am not in support of the deployment strategy by the Nigerian security architecture because we don’t have enough personnel we make the mistake of deploying to specific assets.
“What we should do is a concentric circle of security so that they will work together. For example in Abuja, you can deploy security personnel within Abuja City but more importantly deploy to all the roads that are get-away routes.
“So, they need to deploy to those getaways and outside those getaways so that if someone commit a crime you can block those getaways and then you also block outside those getaways. So if the criminal beat the one within, they will not get away that away.
“I advocate the same for the protection of INEC facilities and other locations too. We should create concentric circle because if we send security personnel to man police stations and INEC offices, there are several other government institutions that they will target.
“It is impossible to man all government institutions and I don’t think deployment of security is the key, rather intelligence is the key. And that is why I suggested engagement, which will allow buy in and once you have buy in, then you can harvest intelligence to stop the attacks.”
Attackers want to distort democratic process – Analyst
A Political analyst Aminu Mohammed has said INEC would need more resources to replace all the damaged materials, equipment and facilities to smoothly conduct future elections.
In phone chat with Blueprint Weekend, Mohammed said: “The attack on INEC facilities is obviously for a purpose. Those attacking and burning INEC facilities want to distort our democratic process, perhaps they don’t want elections to hold so that they can achieve their secessionist plans or they want to use the attacks as bargaining chips to demand for something ahead of 2023 elections.
“It is unfortunate that some people still think attacks like this can help them to get what they want. From the ways and places they have attacked it is obvious they have plans. And part of their plans is 2023 elections.
“Yes, I agree that the attacks may affect INEC’s conduct of 2023 elections if left unchecked. But I am confident that the our security personnel and other stakeholders, especially from the South-east and South-south where these attacks have become a daily occurrence, will take necessary steps to put an end to it.
“The implication this will have on future elections is that INEC will need more time and resources to prepare for future election.
“The commission needs more financial resources to replace the damaged smart card readers, utility vehicles, other equipment and materials to conduct future election.
“So, for the elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun states, and 2023 elections to hold, INEC will need the presence of more security personnel, support of Nigerians and other stakeholders to protect their facilities and their staff from these arsonists.”
Protect INEC property in your domain, CTA urges
An election monitoring group, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has condemned the incessant attacks on the INEC facilities in the South-east states and urged Nigerians to protect the electoral commission’s facilities.
Executive Director, CTA, Faith Nwadishi, in a statement, further appealed to Nigerians resident in areas where INEC facilities are located to assist security agencies to forestall future occurrences.
The statement read in part: “The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) is alarmed at the rate INEC offices are attacked across the country particularly in the South-east with devastating effects. “This is a dangerous trend and if not checked will impede the process of organising the November 6, Anambra state governorship election.
“We call on the citizens across the country especially, South-east to protect INEC property in their domain. The only way to effect a credible change is through the ballot. The people can only succeed by coming out to vote for credible candidates of their choice and this can only be achieved in a peaceful atmosphere and not in chaos.
“We support INEC’s call for the federal government to declare a security emergency and define a definite strategy to protect INEC’s property and personnel not only in the South-east but across the nation.
“We call on all stakeholders to support INEC in this onerous but important national task. Equally, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) should up efforts to educate the citizens on the importance of supporting INEC by way of protecting INEC offices and personnel thereby sustaining the democratic process and good governance in Nigeria.”
