The national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu Wednesday called for the arrest and prosecution of anyone caught attacking the Commission’s offices and facilities in the country.

Speaking at a retreat for newly appointed Resident Electoral Commission (RECs), in Lagos, Yakubu said “In these mindless attacks, a total of 1,993 ballot boxes, 399 voting cubicles, 22 electric power generators and thousands of uncollected PVCs were, among other materials, destroyed. These attacks must stop and the perpetrators apprehended and prosecuted.”

The chairman added, “I wish to once again touch on the troubling issue of attacks on our facilities and the destruction of critical electoral assets in the country.

“In the last four months, five local government area offices of the commission were attacked by yet unknown persons. Buildings have been destroyed and materials lost in Udenu and Igboeze North Local Areas of Enugu State, Abeokuta South Local Government of Ogun State, Ede South Local Government Area of Osun State and, most recently, in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.”

While reassuring Nigerians that INEC would recover from the attacks, he said the lost materials would be replaced but that there was a limit to its ability to keep replacing wantonly destroyed materials with just 86 days to the general election.

Yakubu, however, appealed to security agencies, traditional and community leaders and all well-meaning Nigerians to continue to support the commission to stop the attacks, adding that, the ultimate solution was to arrest and prosecute the vandals so they would not feel that their bad behaviour was an acceptable conduct in the country.

The INEC chairman said the retreat was significant for many reasons, including that it came on the eve of the 2023 general election, which was just 86 days away and that also, among the 19 RECs sworn in four weeks ago, on 3rd November 2022, 14 were new appointees, holding office for the first time.

For him, therefore, it was imperative to familiarise with the commission and its processes and procedures as a matter of utmost urgency.

“As you familiarise yourselves with the processes and procedures, you will also be implementing activities simultaneously. Already, some sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been delivered to your states ahead of the general election.

“This retreat, therefore, is deliberately structured to introduce you to the electoral legal framework as well as the processes and procedures for election administration that is increasingly driven by technology from voter registration, voter accreditation and uploading of polling unit level results on Election Day.

“Similarly, accreditation of observers, the media and polling agents are all done online through dedicated portals,” he said, explaining that the retreat would dwell on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), guidelines for voter distribution to Polling Units, the framework for electoral logistics and Code of Conduct for Commission members, officials

“Our success, ultimately, depends on our integrity. We should remain independent and impartial. As I said on many occasions, the commission is not a political party. It has no candidates in the forthcoming election.

“All political parties have equal standing before the commission. The choice belongs to Nigerian citizens i.e. the electorate. Our responsibility is to uphold the sanctity of the ballot. Nothing more, nothing less,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, yesterday, condemned all forms of attack on the facilities and buildings of the federal government in the country, particularly, attacks on the facilities and infrastructure of INEC.

The lawmakers, however, urged politicians to uphold the peace accord, which they signed, by admonishing their supporters to refrain from attacks and violence before or during the 2023 elections.

The House also urged the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other Security Agencies such as the Department of State Services to synergise with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minster of Justice to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators behind the attacks.

They also resolved to set up an adhoc committee to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incessant inferno on INEC offices in different parts of the country.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Olarewaju Ibrahim Kunle.

Moving the motion, Kunle drew attention to the frequent systemic arson and attacks on the personnel, offices and facilities of the INEC.

While noting that the premeditated attacks were targeted at crippling the commission and scuttling the 2023 elections, he expressed concerns that despite the affront to democracy and the Constitution of the Nigerian state, the Police and other security agencies have been unable to arrest perpetrators of this heinous crime.

Adopting the motion, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila announced that the 7-member adhoc committee would be chaired by Hon. Taiwo Oluga, with Hon. Mark Gbillah, Hon. Ahmed Jaha, Hon. Olarewaju Kunle and three others as members.

The members were given three weeks to carry out the investigation and report back for further legislative action.

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