It is less than 100 days to the 2023 elections and we are witnessing repeated attacks on INEC facilities in some parts of the country. It is more worrisome that these attacks were carried out unhindered in most cases arrests were not made or announced so far. Without mincing words, there is an obvious threat to the 2023 general elections, yet, the majority of the stakeholders in the polity seem to be carrying on as if things were normal.
I had delayed this topic because it will be unpatriotic to glorify the efforts of those who are perpetrating the evil. However, now that their nefarious act has gained the attention they desire, it is time to take the bull by the horn.
In my opinion, those who think the attacks only affect a particular region in the country or believe that the damage in INEC offices and materials in the affected region will only affect the chances of candidates from such region at the polls may be in for a shocker. I don’t know what the grand plan is, but I am sure it is a very bad signal that shouldn’t be allowed to linger any further.
The immediate past chairman of t INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega had last week expressed the same fears when he said “The burning of INEC offices in some parts of the country was “very unfortunate.” He added that it portrayed “the desperation of politicians to use criminal elements to disrupt the preparations for the elections.”
“This is something that all well-meaning Nigerians must oppose, must condemn. This is something that our security agencies must collaborate and work together, apprehend the culprits, and ensure that measures are put in place so that this does not happen again,” Jega said
It is noteworthy that fire incidents, ranging from arson to vandalism, are ordinarily not new to Nigeria. But these orchestrated attacks on INEC facilities present a different type of danger. In both Osun and Ogun States, according to reports, hoodlums were armed with petrol before storming INEC offices at night to set the buildings on fire. More disturbing is that the security agencies are yet to properly identify those behind these premeditated and organised attacks and what exactly their objectives are. Already, there are growing concerns about the impact of the damage on the capability of the electoral body to conduct elections under the current atmosphere.
Last Friday, the INEC
Chairman, Mahmud Yakubu held an emergency meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). This followed cases of arson at the INEC offices in Ogun and Osun States which led to the loss of 904 election boxes and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). With critical infrastructure of the commission increasingly being targeted, recent attacks appear like a systematic assault meant to cripple INEC operations ahead of the 2023 general election.
Although, INEC had declared that so far, the damage done to its offices and materials is not sensitive enough to affect the forthcoming elections. However, should the attack continue unabated, can the electoral commission sustain the pressure and still assure Nigerians of a credible election?
The House of Representatives last week rose to the challenge by condemning the spate of attacks on INEC staff burning the offices of the electoral body in several parts of the country.
In furtherance to this, the House constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the attacks on INEC offices. The ad-hoc committee chaired by Taiwo Oluga, is expected to submit its report within three weeks for more legislative actions.
The House also called on police to be apolitical in the provision of security for politicians and other stakeholders, ahead of the 2023 polls, charged the political class, as well as the police to uphold the various accords across the country.
Similarly, the parliament charged security agencies to synergise with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minster of Justice to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attacks.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Olarewaju Ibrahim Kunle on “Need to Condemn Attacks on Offices and Facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” on Wednesday’s plenary.
Olanrewaju, in his motion, argued that the “systemic arson and attacks on the personnel, offices and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the premeditated attacks is targeted at crippling the Commission and scuttling the 2023 General Elections.
He further described the spate of attacks on INEC facilities as an affront to the country’s democracy and constitution. Consequently, he stated that those behind the attacks are enemies of the country, as their actions are aimed to derail the 2023 polls.
According to him, “ if these systematically orchestrated attacks on personnel and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission are not checked, the actions are capable of disrupting the 2023 general election.”
Instructively, the lawmaker expressed dismay that “despite the affront to democracy and the Constitution of the Nigerian State, Nigeria
Police and other Security Agencies have been unable to arrest perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
While I commend the decision of the House and fervently hope that a thorough investigation is done, how the findings will help the already bad situation remains a concern. I can only hope the resolution of the House afterwards would not be ignored as usual.
