The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has expressed concerns over the spate of insecurity and violence among supporters of various political parties and candidates ahead of the November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.
The INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, Sam Olumekun, made this known in a statement he signed on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, the electoral umpire has consistently urged political parties to rein in their supporters from actions capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria.
He said: “The Commission is concerned about the spate of insecurity and violence, including clashes among supporters of Political Parties and candidates in the forthcoming elections.
“In our engagement with Political Parties, the Commission has constantly called on parties to rein in their supporters from actions capable of jeopardizing the peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria.
“INEC earnestly appeal to all Political Parties and candidates to avoid utterances and acts that may heat up the polity.”
Mr Olumekun stressed that the commission would continue to closely monitor the situation and sustain its engagement with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure peaceful conduct of elections in the three States.
On the submission of polling units and collation centre agents, Mr Olumekun said the commission has notified all political parties of the opening of its online portal for the uploading of the list of agents, which commenced on Thursday, August 24.
“However, despite this notice and subsequent reminders, political parties are yet to substantially comply by submitting the list of their agents.
“For Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, only 55 per cent of the expected total of 189,180 polling unit agents have been uploaded to the designated INEC Portal.
“Specifically, 29,278 out of the expected 40,372 [72.5 per cent] for Bayelsa State; 51,681 out of 85,644 [60.3 per cent] for Imo, and 23,720 out of 63,144 [37.6 per cent] for Kogi State have been uploaded,” Mr Olumekun added.
He said only 25.1 per cent of the expected 15,804 collation agents in the three states have been uploaded: 1,246 [26.0%] of the 4,806 for Bayelsa; 1,638 [27.3%] of the 5,994 for Imo, and 1,095 [21.9%] of the 5,004 for Kogi State.
The commissioner, therefore, warned that the portal would automatically shut down at 12:00 midnight tomorrow and that there shall be no extension.
“All parties sponsoring candidates for the elections that are yet to upload the list of their agents should do so before the deadline for the exercise,” he added.
