Security

RESIDENTS of Kaduna, Katsina and Kano States say with barely few weeks to the 2023 general election, more needed to be done to ensure that it’s hitch-free.

Across section of those who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said they had noted that a lot of challenges needed to be addressed, singling out the security situation as the most worrisome of them all.
They also stressed the need to ensure availability of trained manpower in view of the planned introduction of modern facilities in the voting process.

Mr Ashidi Mamman, Deputy governorship candidate for the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in Kaduna State, said one of the critical issues bordered on availability of manpower.

According to him, the innovations introduced by INEC, is commendable, but noted that the Commission needs a lot of skilled manpower considering the task ahead.

“If you consider the number of polling units and those to be recruited to handle same,  including security agents, the challenges are enormous.

“I do not think INEC has the requisite number of people that would man each of these polling units,” Mamman said.

He also said that recent attacks on INEC facilities could have negative effect on the exercise, if not checked.

“People may not have full confidence to come out and exercise their franchise for fear of anything springing up to escalate tension,” he added.

Also, Mrs Lami Gambo, an activist, noted that the womenfolk had never been so involved in politics in the past years, compared to now.

According to Gambo, there is so much political awareness this time, expressing optimism that participation of women will be unprecedented.

She however observed that certain challenges manifesting at the moment might scuttle the anticipated gains of the exercise if not addressed urgently.

Mr Ibrahim Anche, Head of Youth Alliance Vanguard, a Civil Society Organisation, said they had partnered with INEC in the State to create awareness, especially among youths, on the need to shun violence.

“Youths have expressed readiness to conduct themselves orderly and avoid scenarios that could mar the entire process, but the bottom-line is the ability of the authorities to provide adequate security,” he said.
In Katsina,  security experts also harped on the provision of adequate security as a sine-quanon for a hitch- free polls, saying no voter would be willing to exercise his or her franchise at the expense of personal safety.

They said that as the election days approached, the threat to lives and property called for concern, especially in some parts of the country.

They advised government to ensure strong collaboration with community, traditional and religious leaders to ensure that elections held nationwide.

The experts applauded the decision taken by INEC in relocating some polling units from insecure areas to more safer places, particularly in the Northwest.

Mr Sani Audu, a retired Police officer, said that the government needed to equip security agents with sophisticated weapons in areas prone to threats.

He urged that on their part, security agents needed to collaborate and ensure intelligence gathering that would enable them to be proactive in addressing threats before, during and after the poll.

The state Coordinator, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Mr Abdulrahman Abdullahi, expressed hope that elections would hold peacefully in all the troubled states, in spite of the security challenges.

He also applauded the decision taken by the INEC in relocating some polling units due to security challenges, saying such a move would ensure restore confidence of voters and ensure massive turnout.

Abdullahi, however, said that INEC and the media should embark on campaign to sensitise the electorate on the new arrangements to ensure that nobody was left out.

He also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of politicians during political rallies, observing that most of them were focusing on issues.

In Kano, some residents said they were optimistic that the exercise would be successful if the electorate and political actors had the will to make things work.

r Tope Faseyitan, a teacher, said security agents need to put more effort in ensuring the safety of citizens during the forthcoming elections.

“Any form of security threat will affect voters psychologically, resulting in anxiety and people will rather save their lives than exercise their franchise,” she said.

A lawyer, Abdulrazak Ahmed, said people would cooperate only if INEC indicated readiness to serve as an impartial umpire expected of it.

He said there was no reason to be skeptical of the success of the polls as INEC was expected to provide alternative measures of addressing unanticipated hitches.

“All we need is sincerity and commitment to the rule of law,” he added. (NAN)

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Tags: Abdulrazak Ahmed Ashidi Mamman