The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has stated that elections will hold in all parts of the country, including the 3 North East states under emergency rule.
There had been fears that elections would not hold in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe due to the insecurity caused by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman of INEC, at a media session by INEC in collaboration with the United Nations Democratic Programme’s (UNDP) Democratic Governance for Democracy Project in Abuja on Monday, said the commission would do its “best and conduct elections in every part of the country in 2015.”
Jega however admitted the insecurity posed as a great challenge for the commission.
He said, “Insecurity is a serious challenge to the commission and the entire electoral process But we are ready to conduct election in any situation. Security challenges are enormous, be it Boko Haram, kidnapping or even armed robbery.
“Elections can be conducted under situations of emergency rule. But all we are saying is that elections will be free and fair where there are minimal security challenges. Under a situation of emergency, many things are likely to happen, either people will be scared of coming out or they will come out and run into security cordons and be molested by security agents.
“Our hope is that by 2015 we will be able to conduct elections in all parts of the country. We are ready to conduct the elections everywhere in this country in 2015. We hope that security challenges will be minimal for us to conduct elections in 2015 and when we get to the bridge, we will cross it.”
He further stated that the commission had started screening its electoral officer with a view to checking electoral malpractices in 2015.
SOURCE: PUNCH