The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared that the 2023 general elections will be held as planned over a widely-circulated report, credited to an Independent National Electoral Commission INEC official, that the 2023 general elections face a serious threat of cancellation due to insecurity.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who made the declaration at the 17th Edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023) in Abuja on Tuesday, said the position of the FG remains that the elections held as planned and nothing has happened to change the position.
According to him, “We are aware that INEC is working with the security agencies to ensure that the elections are successfully held across the country. The security agencies have assured Nigerians that they are working tirelessly to ensure that the elections held peacefully, therefore, there is no cause for alarm.
Meanwhile, media reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over the rising security situation across the country and its impact on the 2023 general elections.
The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke at the validation of election security training resources held in Abuja on Monday noted that the forthcoming election faces serious threat of cancellation should the insecurity across the country fail to improve.
Yakubu, represented by the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, explained that “if insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate constitutional crisis.”
The commission, however, assured Nigerians that it would not leave anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
Mahmood said, “We all appreciate the fact that election security is vital to democratic consolidation through provision of enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process.
“Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security are provided for election personnel, materials and processes.
“This is particularly significant to the commission given the current insecurity challenges in various parts of the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps members constitute the core of the polling unit election officials.
“This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen.
“Therefore, security personnel in particular and all election officials, in general, must be security conscious and alert to unusual activities in their environment and must be fully equipped to deal with any challenge at all times.
