After months of hectic electioneering, Nigerians, including the candidates, are set for the D-Day in what appears to be a make-or-mar presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that today’s presidential and National Assembly elections will be concluded and a winner declared as quickly as possible.
But the polls have fanned the flames of political tension, which could be palpably felt in the country’s political landscape, as the citizens throng the polling booths to cast their votes.
18 candidates will slug it out in today’s presidential poll, but there has been permutations about the outcome of the election, with some analysts predicting a run-off for the major candidates, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the governing APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of LP and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the PDP.
While another set of pundits believe that it could be a major upset for a candidate who is least expected to clinch victory, another school of thought hold strongly that a landslide is likely for one of the most popular candidate who may easily coast to victory.
In all these, today’s presidential poll in Africa’s largest democracy remains a puzzle for the global community that been guessing anxiously where the pendulum will swing.
Others cleared by INEC to contest the presidential poll are Sowore Omoyele of African Action Congress (AAC), Imumolen Christopher of Accord Party (AP), Al-Mustapha Hamza of Action Alliance (AA), Kachikwu Dumebi of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sani Yabagi Yusuf of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Umeadi Peter Nnanna of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ojei Princess Chichi of Allied People’s Movement (APM), Nnamdi Charles Osita of Action Peoples Party (APP), Adenuga Sunday Oluwafemi of Boot Party (BP), Osakwe Felix Johnson of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Abiola Latifu Kolawole of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ado-Ibrahim Abdumalik of Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Nwanyanwu Daniel Daberechukwu of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
Despite assurances by security agencies that the polls would be peaceful and free of security challenges of any form, apprehension has saturated the country’s ambience, particularly in states considered as flashpoints.
Checks by LEADERSHIP Weekend revealed that Rivers, Kano, Lagos, and all states in the South East are top among security hotspots to lookout for during the elections.
Some other states that are considered hotspots are those prone to bandit attacks, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger.
INEC had revealed that between 2019 and 2022, it recorded 26 attacks in the South-east (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo), 10 in the South-south (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River).
The commission also revealed that it recorded 10 attacks in the South-west (Ogun, Lagos and Ondo), three attacks in the North-east (Taraba and Borno), and one in the North-west (Kaduna) within the period.
According to the commission, 20 of the total of 50 incidents were by unknown gunmen and hoodlums, 18 during the EndSARS protest, six by political thugs during elections, four as a result of post-election violence and one each as a result of a bandit and Boko Haram attacks.
There have also been attacks on INEC facilities in Anambra and Enugu in 2023.
There are also concerns that the cash crunch triggered by the recent naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may disrupt the polls, as most Nigerians are unable to transport themselves to their polling units to cast their votes.
INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, however, assured yesterday that the elections will not suffer any encumbrance due to scarcity of cash.
Speaking at the second press briefing on preparations for the 2023 general election in Abuja, Mahmood said the commission will speed up the process this year unlike in 2019 when the presidential election results and winner were formally declared two days after the elections.
“I just want to say that we will ensure that it (result declaration) will be done speedily. I can’t put a finger on the number of days or number of hours it will take, but it will be done speedily. We are aware of the anxiety and the need for us to conclude the process quickly, it will be concluded quickly,” he said.
On the cash crunch, he said, “It is not all our operations that are paid for by cash. In fact, the bulk of our procurement for both goods and services is done electronically, but we need a small amount of money to pay for the unbanked who render critical services, particularly at the local level.”
Mahmood noted that the commission anticipated the challenge and interacted with the Central Bank of Nigeria and they promised that the little amount they need to pay for services in cash, they will make the funds available.
He said, “These funds have already been accessed by our state offices for elections which is why the movement of personnel and materials in the last couple of days has gone on unhindered.
“So, I must give credit for our relationship with the Central Bank in that regard. So, the process won’t suffer any encumbrance as a result.”
The INEC boss expressed satisfaction with the progress being made with the movement of materials to the various locations around the country.
He said, “Having deployed these materials to the Local Government Areas, we are today devolving the deployment to the Registration Area Centers (RACs) so that early in the morning tomorrow the polls will open as planned. These RACs have been activated and election duty staff have started arriving in them.”
Mahmood also stated that the commission is aware of the situation in Imo State where it was reported that some of the critical polling unit officials drawn from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have withdrawn their participation from some Local Government Areas as a result of the perennial insecurity.
He said, “From the report we received from our state office, concerns have been expressed about the security situation in Osu Local Government Area, five Wards in Okigwe and six in Orlu.
“However, we have been assured that with enough mobilisation of security personnel to the area, it is possible for elections to hold in these locations. I have been in touch with the IGP who will brief us on their plans to secure these locations for elections to hold peacefully when he addresses us shortly.
“Generally speaking, the situation nationwide is calm as far as our preparations are concerned. There has been no incident involving the personnel or huge quantities of materials deployed by the commission. Voter enthusiasm is high and so too is our determination to conduct credible elections.”
Yakubu also warned that today is Election Day and that all campaigns, rallies, processions, and media advertising by candidates for presidential, senatorial and federal constituencies for presidential and National Assembly elections ended at midnight of Thursday.
“Voting begins at 8.30 am and ends at 2.30pm tomorrow (Saturday). However, any voter who is on the queue before 2.30pm will be allowed to vote even if voting goes beyond the official closing time. No voter will be disenfranchised,” Yakubu said.
On concerns about security, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, said a total of 425,106 joint security operatives will be deployed for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections across the country.
He, however, explained that the figure excludes members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja at the second media briefing organised by the INEC at the national collation centre situated at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, Baba said the personnel were drawn from the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Correctional Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
According to him, while the Nigeria Police will provide a large trunk of personnel with 310,973, the EFCC will provide the least number with 350 operatives.
He said, “425,106 and I have said it agency by agency,” the police boss said. “In the Police we have 310,973; NSCDC 51,000; FRSC 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service 11,336; NDLEA 9,447; EFCC 350; and Nigeria Immigration Service 21,000.”
The Police boss also said that the orderlies attached to the Very Important Personalities (VIPs), and some politicians will be withdrawn during the polls.
He said the Force expects the VIPs to also drop their armed bodyguards or orderlies from escorting them to the polling booths.
“If escorted to the polling units, the orderlies of VIPs should stay at a distance for the VIP to cast or her votes before being escorted away. Just like in any other election, we expect our VIPs to drop their bodyguards/orderlies that are armed in escorting them to the polling stations.
“Even if they escort them, they should stop or stay at a distance so that the person can cast his votes and leave with his aides. We do not expect our men in the polling units. We have told our officers to comply. Those of them with the VIPs have also been communicated through our medium of communication,” the IGP said.
Baba also noted that activities of terrorists, bandits, and members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) remain a challenge.
He said, “Activities of bandits, terrorists, and secessionists and self-actualisation elements popularly known as IPOB or ESN still remain a challenge.”
He also said political thuggery as well as intra and inter-party crises poses a challenge to the today’s elections.
The Police boss also listed continuous attacks on INEC facilities by subversive and anti-democratic elements as another major challenge.
He equally noted that no quasi-security organisation like Amotekun Corps in the South-West, Ebubeagu in the South-East or the Benue Guards will be allowed to participate in Saturday’s poll.
He said, “Much as the Nigerian Police has perfected plans to engender a peaceful electoral process, the following have been identified as possible challenges. They are with us, and we will continue to manage it. For us to manage these challenges, we have upscaled our operations and therefore believe that we have conditioned the atmosphere more than before.
“In other words, our analysis of the crime situation in Nigeria has dropped drastically compared to what we have recorded as crime and criminality in the last one month.”
The IGP also said lament on the anti-democratic conduct of state governors as one of the challenges being faced by the Force.
“The police has established a cybercrime centre to monitor cyber threats in real time and to conduct social media analysis of key and non-key players in the electoral process. The personnel to be deployed have a clear knowledge of their roles and ethical standards to carry out their duties.
“The security challenges that have been identified would be managed by the police. Our analysis of the current security threats has reduced drastically compared to what we recorded in the last one month.
“However, activities of terrorists, bandits, secessionists and self-actualization elements, popularly known has IPOB/ESN, still remain a challenge. Political thuggery, inter-party crisis and intra-party violence still remain a challenge.
“Hate speeches, political intolerance, extremism as well as anti-democratic conducts of some of the state governors and other strategic political actors remain a challenge,” Baba said.
CSOs Raise The Alarm Over Violence In States
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country have raised the alarm over emerging violence in states, insisting that the development may impact negatively on the outcome of the elections.
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) which has been keeping close watch on developments around the polity, especially critical incidents capable of undermining the conduct of the elections, said the incidents, if not promptly addressed, could scare off voters and induce apathy in the affected areas.
According to the CDD director, Idayat Hassan, the violence in the final week took the form of attacks on candidates and their supporters, explosions, and the removal of infrastructure like roads leading to communities.
Hassan stated: “In Zamfara State, North West Nigeria, CDD cited reports of an armed attack on the convoy of the wife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hajiya Hurriyah Lawal.
“The incident, which led to the death of two policemen, happened when the convoy of the spouse of the opposition candidate in Zamfara State was returning to Gusau, the state capital.
“In Kogi Central Senatorial District, there were reports of the excavation of the road leading to the community of a prominent female candidate in the Senate race. The candidate alleged that the excavation of the road was meant to cut off the community and disenfranchise her community. In Kano, four persons were reportedly killed in a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).
“In response, the police canceled all political rallies billed for the eve of the election.
“Explosions were reported in Port-Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in the South-South geo-political zone. The explosion targeted the building housing Atlantic Television Network and Wish FM 99.5. Similarly, in Okehi Local Government Area in Kogi State, North Central geo-political zone an explosion was reported.
“In the South East state of Enugu, a Labour Party (LP) candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district, Oyibo Chukwu was killed while returning from a campaign trip.
“The development has already forced INEC to postpone the election in the senatorial zone to March 11,” CDD said, noting that the arrest of a serving member of the House of Representatives with cash in foreign currency should be investigated and ensure justice is served.
“Another critical incident, according to the nonprofit organisation, was the case of 100 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members trained as poll workers in three Local Government Areas of Imo State who have withdrawn from serving as INEC ad-hoc staff on account of insecurity in the area.
“CDD strongly condemns the violence, and calls on the political actors to abide by the spirit and letters of the National Peace Accord. CDD urges security agencies to pay extra attention to these flash points to ensure calm is restored in readiness for elections,” Idayat said.
On its part, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) called on all the presidential candidates to adhere to the National Peace Accord agreement.
TMG, commended Nigerians, especially the young people that have shown great enthusiasm since preparations commenced for the 2023 election, urging citizens of all religious, ethnic and regional divides to go out and cast their votes to elect leaders across the various levels.
TMG said it is working together with various civil society networks across the country to mobilize voters, educate the public, and monitor voting throughout the country.
“We shall be monitoring the following key issues and will release statements and reports on the conduct and quality of the elections based on field reports from our observers. We will also reach out to critical institutions and agencies on the frontline of planning and administering the 2023 elections.
“We call on INEC to continue to demonstrate neutrality and respect for its announced processes and guidelines,” TMG said.
IGP Deploys 3 Commissioners Of Police In Imo
Meanwhile, the Imo State Police Command revealed yesterday that three commissioners of police have been deployed to the state in order to provide water tight security for today’s elections.
In statement signed by the police public relations officer (PPRO), Henry Okafor, the state command said, “In compliance with the IGPs directives, three Commissioners of Police have been deployed to Imo State to provide water tight security before, during and after the 2023 elections, the officers have resumed duty and are strategizing on the already existing security architecture in order to provide effective security before, during and after the elections in all nooks and crannies of state.”
The PPRO noted that the CPs posted for the election duties in the State assured people of Imo State and all political actors of absolute neutrality and a level playing ground for them to exercise their civic responsibilities in the forthcoming presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assemblies’ elections respectively.
The command equally warned agents of destabilization to have a rethink as officers and men are adequately equipped to deal decisively with any recalcitrant element.
The newly posted commissioners of police and their phone numbers are CP Banji Ogunrinde, Imo East Zone, with phone number 08030790087; CP Chris Aimionowane, Imo West Zone, 08033208267, and CP Alex Wannang, Imo North, 08035486414.
According to the statement, the deployment is to ensure no stone is left unturned in providing a conducive atmosphere for the people of Imo State to exercise their franchise and also to conduct the 2023 general election devoid of political thuggery and other menaces before, during and after the 2023 election.
