The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has embarked on evaluating possible potential risky areas with Election Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool (EVMAT) as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election is left with 10 days.
The election is holding on Saturday 12th February 2022.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this while addressing inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES) to review security arrangement for the area council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
He also warned political parties to strictly adhere to the Commission’s timelines for all activities, including the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates, stressing that these timelines are firm and fixed as no deviation or violation would be allowed.
Prof. Yakubu explained the purpose of the EVMAT saying “The aim is to identify early warning signals that could assist the security agencies and other stakeholders in devising and deploying appropriate mitigation strategies.”
He further said that among other areas of concern, “the Commission focused on threats specific to geographical locations, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the issue of hard drugs, presence of insurgents and armed groups, intra and inter-party conflicts, and incidents of hate speech. The hard copy of the summary of the threats and frequency of incidents is included in your folders for this meeting”.
The INEC Chairman indicated that in the next few days, the Commission would intensify its engagement with stakeholders, particularly with party leaders and candidates, traditional and religious leaders, transport providers, civil society organisations and the media.
“We will work with all stakeholders to ensure that the forthcoming election is peaceful and our processes credible. That is why this meeting is crucial. Securing the environment is the foundation for a peaceful, well-organised and credible election.
“This was clearly demonstrated in the peaceful conduct of the recent Anambra State Governorship election. Let us make the FCT Area Council election another shining example of a peaceful election”, he said.
He enumerated that n addition to the FCT Area Council election, the Commission is also preparing for six bye-elections on 26th February 2022, followed by the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections on 18th June and 16th July 2022 respectively.
Yakubu gave up date on Ekiti state, saying in the case of the Ekiti State Governorship election, the period earmarked in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for party primaries ended three days ago on 29th January 2022.
“All 18 political parties served notices for their party primaries to elect their candidates for the election and invited the Commission to monitor them. One party adopted the direct method for electing its candidate while 16 parties opted for the indirect method.
“However, from on our field report, the Boot Party (BP) did not hold its primary election at any venue known to, and monitored by, the Commission. Consequently, we do not expect the party to nominate a candidate for the Ekiti State Governorship election”, he said.
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