Lt Gen Buratai on Physical
Exercise
Lt Gen Buratai on Physical
Exercise
Foreign Observers: Army’s contribution Guaranteed
Credibility of Elections
The fact that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process was
protected and maintained during last Saturday’s Presidential and
National Assembly (NASS) elections, was because men and officers of
the Nigerian Army (NA) deployed to flashpoints and other parts of
the country rose to the occasion and forestalled the outbreak of
violence.
The above was the submission of Mr. Bill Campbell, spokesperson
of the Independent Foreign Observers/Monitors, at the presentation
of the group’s preliminary report on the 2019 general
elections.
Before the verdict of the Foreign Monitors, PRNigeria reports
that some domestic observers accredited by the Independent National
Electoral Commission to monitor the 2019 general elections have
also scored the electoral body and security agencies high in their
handling of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly
elections. The coalition of 18 local observer groups said the
institutions scored over 80% because they did their job
professionally.
At Rockview Hotel in Abuja, the foreign observers noted that the
combined efforts of the security agencies led by the Army ensured
that incidences of ballot box snatching and other electoral vices
where significantly curtailed.
Amid palpable tension in the polity, Mr. Campbell said voters
still exercise their franchise without anxiety, especially in the
Northern parts of the country.
“Unlike in the past where under-age children are recruited to
vote, this time around such incidences were not reported by our
field observers in Kano and several other Northern states. In the
fringes were it was anticipated that there will be security lapses,
the Army rose to the occasion and guaranteed the security of lives
and properties. However, cases of vote-buying were prevalent in
most parts of South-South and South-East,” he stated.
The Diplomat and Conflict Resolution expert, said that their
observers also witnessed pockets of violence in some parts of the
country, occasioned by the attempts of party agents to snatch
ballot boxes.
He disclosed that Rivers State recorded the highest number of
violence orchestrated by arms-bearing political thugs, which led to
the death of an INEC official, an officer of the Army and scores of
people.
Campbell saluted the resilience and courage of the Nigerian
electorates for trooping out en masse to perform one of their civic
obligations.
He added: “The elections were conducted in an atmosphere of
peace, which was brought about by the combined efforts of security
agencies who showed resilience in the face of provocation. The Army
ensured that the credibility of the electoral process was not
undermined as they provided maximum security for lives and
properties throughout the elections’ period. Its officers and men
conducted themselves professionally and within the ambit of the
law, even when provoked by agents of political parties. In Yobe and
Borno states, the Army provided water-tight security, which
accounted for the large turnout of voters in the region.”
The Independent Foreign Observers/Monitors spokesperson, then
commended the leadership of NA for the high-level coordination of
its troops around the country, charging it to deploy same strategy
during the forthcoming Governorship and State House of Assemblies
polls.
By PRNigeria