The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the security agencies to monitor electioneering campaigns in Edo to prevent violence.

INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu said this on Thursday at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting in Abuja, which was held in preparation for the Edo and Ondo governorship selections.

Mr Yakubu urged the security agencies to ensure that the laws were enforced during the electioneering campaign to avoid using the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties and candidates access to public facilities.

“Campaign in public by political parties in Edo commenced on Wednesday, April 24, and will end at midnight on Thursday, September 19, i.e. 24 hours before the date fixed for the election as provided by law. I urge you to keep your eyes on the electioneering process with a view to preventing violent attacks or negative mobilisation by political parties, candidates and their supporters during their campaigns. 

“Similarly, the use of the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties and candidates access to public facilities such as radio and television stations, public buildings for campaigns and rallies or even outdoor advertising through the imposition of excessive fees and levies often result in the breach of the peace.

“These actions, including the mutual destruction of campaign materials and facilities, violate the provisions of Sections 91 to 97 of the Electoral Act 2022. The security agencies have a duty to ensure the enforcement of the law,’’ Mr Yakubu said.

He also called for adequate security measures to resume Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Edo and Ondo.

He said the exercise would include 397 registration centres in the two states, 192 ward registration centres in Edo and 203 centres in Ondo, and INEC state offices in Benin and Akure.

Mr Yakubu, also the co-chairman of ICCES, said that INEC needed security protection for the registrants, registration personnel, equipment, observers and journalists that would cover the exercise from May 27 to June 5 in the two states.

The INEC chairman also called for a conducive environment for the peaceful conclusion of outstanding by-elections in Enugu and Kano.

The National Security Adviser and co-chair of ICCES, Nuhu Ribadu, urged the heads of security agencies to deploy personnel strategically for the election.

Mr Ribadu said, “I want to add that we should be a bit more careful in our deployment in terms of the numbers so that we will not overburden the system.” 

Heads and representatives of various Security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the country attended the meeting. 

(NAN)