Still on Security for 2019 General Elections News

Still on Security for 2019 General
Elections
By Zayyan Usman Gwandu

It is gladdening to note the commitment of the Federal
Government towards the provision of adequate security for the
success of the 2019 general elections.

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali recently revealed that
the National Security Council is ready to curb every challenge
during the forthcoming 2019 general elections. Dan-Ali who made the
revelation shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari presided over
the National Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa,
said it recommended the deployment of security agencies to the
states, to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) conduct the elections peacefully.

The Minister was hopeful that the deployment of security
personnel would further douse the tension created by the outcome of
the political parties’ primaries and “some desperate persons” to
sabotage the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the federal legislators have also approved
expenditures for security agencies towards the success of the
election. The Senate recently approved the security budget of N53.2
billion for the 2019 general elections. The approval of the budget
followed a presentation of the report of the National Assembly
Joint Committee on Appropriation at plenary. On the other hand the
lower chamber of the National Assembly, House of Representatives
also approved N831.3bn virement for INEC, security agencies.

Some of the beneficiaries of the funds included INEC, ONSA, DSS,
NSCDC, NIS and NPF based on the approved request by President
Muhammadu Buhari for passage.

With all these encouraging development from the executive and
legislative arms of government, should there be any fear for
concern on the preparation for the 2019 general elections?

Some politicians, especially from the opposition have raised
concern and expressed doubt on INEC’s ability to conduct credible
polls in 2019. Leading the critics, the main opposition party,
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the Federal Government of
being unable to conduct credible polls across the country next
year. The PDP Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, says the party does
not have confidence in the activities of the Independent National
Electoral Commission.

Speaking when he received a delegation of the European Union
Election Exploration Mission to Nigeria led by Nicolay Paus, who
visited him in Abuja, Secondus said that intelligence available to
the party allegedly showed that the ruling All Progressives
Congress had concluded arrangements with INEC to manipulate the
electoral process.

Secondus said that what happened during the governorship
election in Osun State in September merely underscored the party’s
fears that INEC was not ready to be neutral in 2019.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his
commitment to ensuring free, fair and credible elections in the
country. In a speech delivered to mark the celebration of the 58th
anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence, the President stressed his
support for credible elections when he said: “I have committed
myself many times to ensure that elections are fully participatory,
free and fair and that the Independent National Electoral
Commission will be exactly independent and properly staffed and
resourced. The ballot box is how we make our choice for the
governments that rule in our name.”

Given the foregoing, as the clock ticks down on 2019 election,
some pressing questions are bound to be asked by many concerned
Nigerians: What can be done to ensure that the 2019 election is
conducted peacefully? How do we ensure that political campaigns do
not spiral out of control and cause clashes? And what can be done
to ease the task of INEC in conducting free and credible elections?
How can the security agencies stay out of the political fray by not
acting in a manner that suggests their men are out to rig the
election for the party in power?

These are difficult questions that need to be answered as we
gradually inch towards the 2019 general election. Although the
authorities including the Hon. Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali
have issued some assurance about containing the situation, what is
very important is to ensure that the rules and regulations
governing the election are binding on every participant and that
critical stakeholders play neutral and non-partisan roles by being
fair in their conducts. The citizens, especially the electorate
should also abide by the INEC’s guidelines and rules during the
election proper.

How fairly security agencies ensure their neutrality and conduct
themselves in most professional manners will create confidence in
the system and save the country from the looming storm ahead.

Zayyan Usman Gwandu
Federal Ministry of Information
Radio House, Abuja
[email protected]^[1]