Why 2023 Elections May Be Cancelled – INEC Raises Concern | READ DETAILS

Few weeks to the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has raised concern over the possibility of either cancelling or postponing the elections owing to the insecurity in the country.

INEC’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu who was represented by the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, at an election security training in Abuja on Monday, warned that if insecurity is not sorted out, electioneering process may be affected in various constituencies which will create lapses in election results.

In his words;

“If the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of elections results and precipitate a constitutional crisis”.

He however assured that the Commission is doing all it can to ensure that adequate security is provided for personnel and materials at all polling units.

He also called on security agencies to always be at alert and deal with any unusual activities at the polling units.

“Consequently, in preparations for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is 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 electoral 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.”