National Security and Politics of Election Postponement
By Yushau A. Shuaib
It
is no more news that national security and security threats have been
cited to justify postponements of elections under former President
Goodluck Jonathan and the current President Muhammadu Buhari. However,
the postponement of the last governorship election in Edo State have
been labelled by some people, notably, the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party(PDP) as having political undertone, as the party doubted the
sincerity of the security agencies and playing to the gallery.
Section
26(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (As Amended), which supports
postponement of elections states that: “Where a date has been appointed
for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a
serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is
proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the elections
as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) may postpone the election and shall
in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for
the holding of the postponed election, provided that such reason for the
postponement is cogent and verifiable.”
While
justifying the postponement of 2015 general elections at a Press
Conference on February 7, 2015, the then INEC Chairman, Professor
Attahiru M. Jega stated that he received a letter from the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA), then under Sambo Dasuki drawing
attention to four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe who
had experienced the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that
security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February
2015 for the general elections.
Jega added
that: “This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting
where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs
unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our operations
cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six
weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the
insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the
military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of
operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional
support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections.”
In
September 2016, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria
Police, citing security concerns, had advised INEC to shift Edo
gubernatorial election. The advice was sequel to a meeting of the
Director-General, DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura, and the Inspector General of
Police(IG) Ibrahim Idris Kpotun, where the security situation in the
country was reviewed.
In a joint statement by
the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Don Awunah, and Garba
Abdullahi of the DSS said that ‘“Credible intelligence report with the
agencies indicate plans by insurgent/extremist elements to attack
vulnerable communities and soft targets with high population during the
forthcoming Sallah celebrations between 12th and 13th September, 2016.
Edo State, is amongst the States being earmarked for these planned
attacks by the extremist elements.”
But in a
swift response, the INEC expressed surprise at the advice and said it
was unaware of any security threat to the election, particularly when it
had been assured on the same day by the Inter-Agency Security Committee
on the ground in Benin City that all was well. At the end, INEC bowed
to pressure from the nation’s security agencies when its National
Commissioner, Voter Education and Publicity, Prince Solomon Soyebi
announced the postponement.
While the public
might have reservations on the excuses put up by the security agencies
for the postponement of elections, the outcome may serve national
interest and not necessarily political interest.
After
the postponement of election in 2015, the Jonathan administration
deployed acquire sophisticated weapons and funded Multi-National Joint
Task Force (MNJTF) involving neighbouring countries to confront the
menace of Boko Haram terrorists. Undoubtedly, average Nigerians can be
forgetful. Before the handover to President Buhari on May 29, 2015, the
previous administration liberated towns and cities from terrorists in
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe State where elections were successfully and
peacefully held.
Meanwhile after the
postponement of Edo gubernatorial election in September 2016, there was
peaceful Sallah Celebration throughout the federation while the election
in Edo State, the main issue was also peaceful without any casualty.
If
the purpose of postponement of elections were to influence electoral
victory, the previous ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) failed
woefully while the current All Progressive Congress (APC) won
overwhelmingly.
Yushau A. Shuaib
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