The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed concern over the conduct of the 2023 general election, saying conducting elections in Nigeria has become more challenging over the rising insecurity in the country.

The INEC chairman said ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel, and materials, candidates, party agents, among others have become more challenging.

Yakubu said this on Thursday while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Election Security Management Training organised by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The event was held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

The INEC boss, who commended the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for convening the security management training for the police and other security personnel ahead of the 2023 general election, said election preparations, deployment and implementation constitute the most extensive mobilisation that could happen in a country, whether in peacetime or in wartime.

He said: “Voters will elect candidates for 1,491 constituencies (1 Presidential constituency, 28 Governorship elections, 109 Senatorial Districts, 360 Federal Constituencies and 993 State Assembly seats).

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“Ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel and materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media and transporters are enormous. This responsibility has become more challenging in the context of the current security situation in the country.”

Yabuku, however, expressed hope that with about seven months to the 2023 general election, there is time for proactive measures to ensure that the entire country is secure for election to hold nationwide.

“In addition to physical security, I am glad to note that this Workshop will also focus on deepening the capacity of the security personnel to imbibe and comply with global standard of election security management.

“Already, the commission, under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), has produced and periodically revised the code of conduct and rules of engagement for security personnel on electoral duty.

“In the next few weeks, the code of conduct as well as our training manuals will be revised to align them with the provisions with the Electoral Act 2022 and to consolidate on the professionalism displayed by the security agencies in the recent off-cycle elections. We will also intensify our cascade training for security personnel ahead of the 2023 general election,” the INEC chairman added.

Yakubu, therefore, assured the IGP and heads of other security agencies and all members of the ICCES that the commission would continue to “work in synergy with you to ensure a safe and secure environment for the 2023 general election.

“It is a critical election and we must all continue to work together to protect the will of the Nigerian people,” he stated.

The Star