2023: NSA dispels ‘fake news,’ insists election will be rancor-free, as INEC worries over scarcity of petrol, new Naira notes

Despite mounting insecurity across parts of the geo-political zones of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd), has assured Nigerians that the 2023 General election slated to commence later this February, would be conducted in rancor-free atmosphere.

This is also as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is ready and will conduct the 2023 General Election as scheduled, despite expressing reservations over the lingering petrol scarcity and new naira notes drought

General Monguno who gave the assurance during his meeting with INEC management and heads of security agencies in the country, including the military, advised Nigerians to dispel any form of misinformation, fake news and fear on the conduct of 2023 general elections, saying the election would be conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.

The NSA said the purpose of the meeting was to look at certain issues that dominated both the political and economic spaces in the country in the last couple of weeks, leading to apprehensions, agitation, fear and uncertainty with regards to the general election.

“We are all aware of the current situation in the country. There is a need for me to reassure citizens of this country that whatever fears, whatever agitations we have I would want to dispel such feelings.

“The 2023 elections will go on in a climate devoid and bereft of rancor. The security agencies have done a lot in the last couple of months to put things in place,” he assured.

Monguno added that the security agencies were sure of the measures they had put in place.

“We are not in any way in doubt what the situation of the country is but we need to let the entire country know that agents of bad news are peddling all kinds of stories around.

“We see these on social media and hear things on many platforms. If these are intended to scare people, I want to dispel such illusions.

“Everybody that is concerned in carrying out his legitimate undertaking, casting his or her vote will do so in a secured atmosphere.

“It is very important that Nigerians are not pushed to the limit where they will abandon their number one responsibility as citizens.

“I have confidence in the work of security agencies had been doing.

“The Nigeria Police Force is a lead agency and has assured all of us repeatedly during our meeting and engagement and I know all the security agencies are up to the task,” he added.

Monguno said that the remaining days to the election would be used to intensify efforts among security agencies for election security.

Remarking at the meeting, Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor, restated the commitment of the armed forces to work with the Police and other security agencies to ensure that INEC conducts the 2023 general election without hitches.

“I believe that this meeting today couldn’t have come at a better time to look at what we have done thus far. What gaps do exist and how we can close it,” Irabor said.

On his part, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, also assured members of the public that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, are fully prepared for 2023 general elections.

Baba pledged that the security personnel would provide a level-playing ground for Nigerians to exercise their franchise.

“We are aware of the situation in Nigeria in terms of crime and criminality, and in terms of the general situation, particularly in the south East.

“We are prepared to checkmate the activities of those who do not even want the election to take place and also provide a level-playing ground for those who are willing to exercise the franchise to do so,” Baba said.

Remarking, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, welcomed the assurances from security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections, as he said the commission looks forward to the comprehensive plan for the deployment of security personnel to their various duty posts.

“This arrangement has been done in the past and has greatly facilitated rapid response to situations that may arise in the field either on Election Day or during the collation of results.”

Yakubu noted that for INEC, its preparation for the election had gone far as most of the sensitive and non-sensitive materials were already in the various locations nationwide.

“Training of all categories of ad hoc staff will soon take place and election technology has been tested, mock accreditation conducted and configuration underway.

“The movement of personnel and materials has been worked out with the land and maritime transport unions.

“Facilities destroyed in recent attacks have either been repaired already or are being repaired.

“Where the damage is extensive, alternative facilities have been secured while materials lost will be replaced.”

He said that INEC had also engaged other critical national institutions such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with regard to the adequate supply of petroleum products and the arrangement to pay for critical services without any encumbrances.

“We are glad that additional security has been deployed to our facilities nationwide.

“We also note the increasing tempo of activities in many troubled spots nationwide.

“We are confident that these actions will further reassure voters, our personnel, service providers and stakeholders of their safety during elections and of a free, fair and peaceful process,” Yakubu said.

Meanwhile, speaking to State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Meeting in Abuja, Wednesday, Chairman of INEC, Professor Yakubu said he identified scarcity of petroleum products and the new currency as major challenges confronting INEC but solutions are already in sight.

“We took members of the Council through all the preparations that we have put in place for the election and the few challenges that we are facing and the steps we have taken to address them.

“The first one is the availability of petroleum products. We had a meeting with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and they raised that as an issue of concern. Immediately after that meeting, we interfaced with the leadership of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC).

“Right now there is a technical committee working; the idea is for them to avail us the use of their over 900 land mega as well as floating mega stations nationwide for the purpose of stocking products to ensure that the Commission doesn’t suffer any encumbrances in movement of personnel and materials for the election.

“The second one is the currency issue and again we had an engagement yesterday with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and he assured us that the Commission will not suffer any encumbrances on that front. Fortunately for us, all our accounts, national and state are held by the apex bank. So, we raised those challenges and we have found solutions to those challenges so be rest assured that the elections are going to be held as scheduled; on the 25th of February for National and on the 11th of March for the State election. “

The INEC Chairman said the briefing he gave the Federal Executive Council was a usual practice associated with general election.

He also said he will again brief the Council of State on Friday, February 10, 2023.

Meanwhile, in a related development, President Muhammadu Buhri’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd), has assured that the 2023 census would be conducted safely despite security challenges ravaging some geo-political zones of the country.

Speaking during the inauguration of the security and logistic committee for the census, Wednesday,in Abuja, Gen. Monguno said potential threats to the exercise would manifest in physical attacks on staff and facilities, attacks on security personnel on census duty, inter/intra-communal violence, among others.

“Most prominent is the issue of insecurity arising from banditry, kidnapping, armed conflicts, terrorism, insurgency and other violent crimes which pose a major challenge to the census exercise,” he said.

He, however, said the government has made serious efforts to make the country safe for everyone.

Also remarking, Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Isa Kwarra, said the commission was working to give Nigerian credible, reliable and acceptable census data for national planning.

“Nigeria has vast land mass with pockets of hard-to-reach areas. With the structure and facilities of members, organisation, I am confident that the committee has all it takes to mitigate the security and logistic challenges of the 2023 census,” he said.