We Need Adequate Security To Have A Successful Election – INEC

Without adequate security, it will be difficult to have peaceful and successful elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

Dr. Mustapha Lecky,  INEC National commissioner posited that for there to be peaceful and credible election, the country need a secured environment that will give the people pleasant experience.

Lecky who represented INEC Chairman and the Chairman of the Board of Electoral Institute at The Electoral Institute (TEI) Organised electoral security training workshop for state training officers in Abuja, insisted that security remains a major concern for such a massive process like election.

“Security always remains a concern for a massive process like the election which is coming up next year. Without adequate security, you won’t have a peaceful environment for people to exercise their franchise. So, security is sine-qua-non. It is very important. It underscores why we holds the workshop for our state trainers who will go back and engage at different levels with all DPOs and their teams to understand the terms of engagement.

“For a peaceful and credible election, we need to secure environment for people to have a very happy and pleasant experience,” he said.

Lecky who also admitted that there are challenges in a number of places however assured the country that the government is doing all possible to address the situation.

He said, “We know there are challenges in a number of places across the country. We believe the government is doing whatever it can to ensure that it is addressed. INEC is not a security outfit. We can only work with the security agencies to ensure that the right thing is done. Nigeria is a very hopeful country. So, we believe that the atmosphere will be secured for credible elections come 2019.”

Speaking on the workshop the national commissioner said INEC boast of staff who are diligent. The workshop, he therefore said is aimed at securing elections.

He stressed that “This is a very important aspect of our election because without a secure election, we will not have free, fair and credible exercise. Security plays a critical role in delivering secure election.  The outcome of your performance in the cause of the training will have impact at the other levels.

“The quality of the training and the quality of delivery will impact on the quality and understanding of security officers whom we call upon to secure our elections.

“It is important that we have the right messages so that it can guide and refresh our security personnel on the conduct and behavior  require to secure our elections in this country. The commission is very pleased that you are here and has high expectation because of critical factor in achieving free and fair elections in 2019.  You role is very important. You will go back and impart what you have learnt in our security agencies be it the police, the army and all arms of security involved in elections to ensure they have true clarity and understand the rule of engagements to provide a very pleasant election experience for electorate. ”