NSA, Police disagree on Kogi, Bayelsa rlections

The National Security Adviser (NSA) and had the Inspector General of Police have disagreed on their perception of the recently  concluded governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.


While the NSA lamented that despite the assurances of adequate preparations made by security agencies prior to elections, the polls “were a fiasco where the unthinkable happened.”


“Despite the promises made prior to the two elections by the IACCES agencies- they made promises and told the meeting of the level of their preparedness but unfortunately, the fiasco was the answer. What happened was quite unthinkable.”

But the Inspector General of Police returned a verdict of “relatively  peaceful polls” in the two states however acknowledging that there were thuggery, infractions and other challenges during the elections.


“On the whole, despite the related infractions or  some sort of thuggery that was observed and other challenges faced, the elections could be said to be relatively peaceful.”    

Both the NSA and IGP made the remarks in Abuja on Wednesday at the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during a meeting of the Inter Agencies Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCES). 


Speaking through a representative, Mr Sanusi Galadima, the National Security Adviser lamented “the violence that erupted in the two states of Bayelsa and Kogi states, particularly, the violence that occurred in Kogi state which aftermath of that election led to the death of a woman leader in that state.” 

He said, “Despite the promises made prior to the two elections by the IACCES agencies- they made promises and told the meeting of the level of their preparedness but unfortunately, the fiasco was the answer. What happened was quite unthinkable. 


He however said, “the future elections particularly the bye-elections that would come up in January 2020, all the various security agencies, political parties must come together to ensure that those elections are conducted hitchfree, free of violence so that we continue to make positive impacts in all future elections.” 


Continued the NSA, “Our fears is that if nothing is done to curtail all these kind of violence in future elections, voters will not even come out and vote. Just yesterday, if we cast our mind, there was a book launch in Abuja where we had all the creme of various political parties, all the national chairmen of the strongest political parties-APC and PDP were there, I saw how they were embracing eachother, laughing, which to my mind, that laughter means a lot: “Look at the useless people killing themselves because of politics.” 


“So it is our hope and prayer that if all the stakeholders pattening to any election that would come up in future would come together , the issue of violence would be addressed adequately.


He also conveyed his true  appreciation of those security agencies that really made positive impact during the two elections. 


Also speaking at the occasion, the representative of the Deputy  Inspector General of Police, CP Mishelia Makama while giving the number of arrests made in the two states during the elections, explained that 6 suspects were arrested separately in connection with the PDP woman leader who was burnt to death in her house in Kogi state. 


“As regards the woman leader that was hacked down, 6suspects again were arrested separately in view of that particular matter, again investigations are yet to be concluded. Ones it is done, proper action would be taken.”


Makama explained other arrests made in both states: “As regards Bayelsa election, a number of these police officers that were deployed there, ran to about 31,041 of them that were assigned for the assignment after which of course again, there were skirmishes of violence here and there which at the end of the day, some suspects were arrested, suspects that were directly involved were were arrested, about 35 of them were arrested in Bayelsa and are being interogated by the zonal police headquarters in Benin city. 


“Ones it is concluded, they would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded while in Kogi a total of 35,200 were deployed also for the same assignment and again there were some skirmishes of violence here and there, which at the end of the day left a woman leader dead. As regards elections, suspects that were arrested for violating the electoral laws, 8 in number and again they being interogated, those that are found culpable would be charged to court.”


He said adequate care would be given to those areas that would require further improvement in future elections saying that feedback would be taken up again  whereever shortfalls were recorded.


Earlier, while welcoming the various agencies, INEC chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu said the deployment of security personnel in all future elections should be tied to specific locations and activities, adding that all security personnel deployed to polling units and collation centres should be identified by name as is the case with INEC officials.


He explained the reasons: “This will not only enhance transparency, but the Commission and security agencies will know who to contact in specific locations during elections when the need arises. They will also be held responsible for the proper conduct of elections in those locations.”

Yakubu also stated that there was need “to continue to deepen the use of technology for the integrity of elections. The Senate Committee on INEC has already shared with the Commission the Electoral Act amendment bill for our input. 


“We are excited by some of the new provisions concerning electronic transmission of results. We are glad that the electoral legal framework is removing some of the encumbrances to the full deployment of technology for the improvement of the electoral process in Nigeria, especially result collation and management. 


“The Commission will work with the National Assembly for the expeditious passage of the amendment to the electoral legal framework so that work can begin in earnest to make future elections in Nigeria more technology-based. It is long overdue, it is doable, it is achievable and it is inevitable.”

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