2023 election ‘ll hold as scheduled – INEC

The Residential Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara, Malam Attahiru Madami, has assured Nigerians that the 2023 general election would hold as scheduled.

Attahiru gave the assurance at a lecture titled “Towards A Peaceful 2023 General Elections”, organised by the National League of Veteran Journalists (NALVEJ) in Ilorin on Wednesday.

He said that security agencies had assured the commission that they would keep the country safe and put things in order.

Attahiru, however, said that the elections may not hold where there were evidence of persistent security threats up to the election dates.

The REC insisted that INEC has constitutional power to rescheduled the election dates.

Attahiru charged Nigerians to be responsible and avoid violence to ensure peaceful polls.

He said that the commission was prepared to sustain peaceful conduct of elections in the state, adding that Kwara had been recognised for achieving peaceful conduct of elections over the years, especially in 2019.

While assuring the political parties of unbiased process during the elections in the state, the REC said that one of the reasons for violence during any election was when the umpire is biased.

He also identified presence of adequate security; involving all law enforcement agencies, as measures to achieve peaceful conduct of the elections.

“Let’s sustain the peace in the state, elections can be violent when the umpire is biased.

“INEC has assured that elections will hold despite the doubts by some Nigerians.

“Youths should be admonished to shun violence.

“Women should do that, especially mothers. We should all preach unity. Violence will take us no where,” Attahiru said.

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Strategy, Alhaji Saadu Salahu, reassured his administration’s continued support for media practitioners, both serving and retired in the state.

He said his administration was committed toward peaceful coexistence of the people of the state.

The governor highlighted the achievements of his administration in health, education, road infrastructure and civil service sectors, adding that efforts are being intensified to industrialise the state and ensure regular electricity supply.

The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Olu Obafemi, who described the theme of the lecture as very apt, said democracy could not thrive if there were no free and fair elections.

He urged Nigerians not to vote along ethnic and religious lines but to safeguard the unity and development of the country.

Delivering his lecture, titled: “Towards A  Peaceful 2023 General Elections”, Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN), said that the election was very important for the nation’s socio-political and economic development.

He said that the Electoral Act has stipulated processes and regulations governing the elections, unlike what obtained in the olden days when people had to fight to win positions.

Ali, who was represented by a senior lawyer in his chamber, Mr Haruna Ali, urged Nigerians to obtain their copies of the Electoral Act in order to enable them understand and help in building the system positively.

He said that one does not need to fight over election dispute, but to approach Tribunal, “as Laws are adequate to take care of all grievances”.

Earlier, the Chairman of NALVEJ, Alhaji Tunde Akanbi, had appealed to the political class to play politics according to laid down rules and regulations.

“Since we still have 44 days to go to the polls, precisely on the 25th February, politicians and their supporters can have a change of mind.

“I mean positively for those that still hold the erroneous belief that it is either them or the elections will not hold.

“I also plead with the youths not to allow themselves to be used as weapons to truncate the elections while social media and online handlers should guard against any act that can set the nation on fire before, during and after the polls.

“To the umpire of the election, INEC and security agencies as well as the judiciary, including the media, we urge you all to maintain neutrality and allow the will of God and that of the electorate to prevail,” Akanbi added. (NAN)