Ribadu Speaks On Violence, Interference During Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo Governorship Election

President Bola Tinubu’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has allayed fears of violence during the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States.

Ribadu, who spoke during the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held on Friday at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja, assured that security agencies would work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the election was free, fair and credible.

The NSA stressed that the polls would be conducted without any form of interference.

“We want to give assurance to Nigerians that this election will be even better than what we have had in the past. This election is going to be free and fair.

“This election will be without interference. This election is going to be without violence. This election is going to be credible.

“It is going to be a litmus test for us. Three important states, one in the North-Central, one in the South-East, one in the South-South, and we are ready. We will provide what it takes to provide credible elections, we are impressed with the preparations we have seen from INEC, and we will work together. Collectively it is our responsibility to deliver,’’ he said.

According to him, security agencies were fully prepared for the state elections, adding that nothing is as important as a free and fair election in a democracy and that the incumbent administration led by President Tinubu is ready to provide that.

“Mr President has given his orders. He said he wants to see a free, fair, credible election, and this is going to be the first election under his watch. He said that we should take this message to INEC and Nigerians that he is going to be very much available to support you to make sure Nigeria have free and fair elections.

“I also want to tell everyone, including the politicians, that nothing is much more important than to have a free and fair election if we want this country to move forward.

“He is a democrat, he believes in democracy. He will support you. Already we have seen it as the entire requirement we have put out to him, he has given us the go-ahead. The entire security force and all our requirement has been met, the rest is for us to deliver,’’ Ribadu said.

The NSA commended INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, for his efforts toward the improvement of Nigeria’s electoral process. He said elections conducted so far under Yakubu had been progressively, improving, and Nigeria now moving towards meeting expected standards.

Earlier in his remarks, Yakubu, who is also the co-chair of ICCES, urged the security to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence in the three state elections.

He said that Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi were not the easiest States in Nigeria to conduct elections because of their difficult geographical terrain and prevailing insecurity.

These, according to Yakubu, were compounded by negative mobilisation by political actors, especially since the commencement of the campaign in public on July 14.

“Ultimate responsibility for election security lies with the security agencies. Our message to the security agencies is to take decisive action against perpetrators of electoral violence.

“This is the surest way to guarantee a safe environment for the peaceful conduct of elections and electoral activities.

“In doing so, security personnel on electoral duty should remain neutral and committed to the established professional code of conduct and rules of engagement,’’ the INEC chairman said.

He called on politicians in states where the election would take place to call their candidates and supporters to order.

The INEC Chairman said that violence and other undemocratic activities such as vote buying, attacks on election officials and disruption of the electoral process must stop.

The disclosure was made by Yakubu, who stated that 5,169,692 out of the 5,409,438 registered voters in the three states had collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs). He further mentioned that two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo had no registered voters, and emphasized that eligible voters were expected to cast their votes in all the 10,510 polling units in their respective states.

Additionally, he highlighted that election results would be collated in 649 Registration Areas/Wards, 56 Local Government Areas, and three state collation centres. As a result, a total of 11,178 voting and collation locations would require the deployment of security personnel in the three states. This deployment, he said, aims to ensure a secure environment for ongoing political campaigns and rallies, the safety of voters, the escorting of personnel and materials, the protection of assets, and the overall security of all individuals with legitimate reasons to participate in the election and electoral activities.