National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has declared a zero-tolerance policy for electoral violence in Nigeria's upcoming elections.
Ahead of the August bye-elections and the November governorship election in Anambra State, Ribadu warned politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly or face severe consequences.
Ribadu emphasized that the government will not tolerate any form of electoral violence or attempts to undermine the electoral process.
Security agencies have been directed to intensify surveillance, boost intelligence gathering, and implement proactive measures to neutralize potential threats.
Any individual or group attempting to disrupt the electoral process will face decisive action from the government.
The NSA said: “Our primary objective remains to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming elections. Therefore, we must ensure that eligible voters exercise their right to vote without fear or intimidation. In this regard, we will strengthen collaboration between security and law enforcement agencies to quickly address potential threats and challenges during the elections.
“Accordingly, the security component of ICCES will, among other things, intensify intelligence efforts to monitor and pre-empt any threats to these elections and provide real-time intelligence to enable the implementation of proactive measures. This is especially in states that are infested with recalcitrant subversive non-state actors who could be exploited by desperate politicians to undermine the elections.
“We will also maintain dialogue with the leadership of political parties and candidates to foster understanding and reduce tensions, as engagement with these stakeholders has proven effective in the past and should remain a priority.
“Political actors and their supporters in the affected states and the FCT are warned to conduct themselves with decorum and respect for the democratic process, as any form of electoral violence and malpractices has no place in our elections.” In his remarks, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, outlined key activities scheduled over the next six months.
These include 16 bye-elections across 12 states on August 16, the Anambra off-cycle governorship election on November 8, and the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which begins with online pre-registration on August 18, followed by in-person registration on August 25.
Yakubu urged security agencies to provide adequate protection for election personnel, materials, and voters. He confirmed that two court-ordered rerun elections previously disrupted by violence will also be conducted in Enugu and Kano on August 16, following security guarantees.
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