The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd), gave an assurance to the people of Nigeria on Thursday that the general elections in 2023 will take place and will take place in a secure environment, notwithstanding the recent spate of violence that has taken place across the country. According to him, the President, Major General Mohammodu Buhari (retd), has issued an order to the police and other security agencies to review their operational strategies and put an end to the security challenges that posed a threat to the elections in 2023.
The Nigerian Police Force hosted a workshop on election security management with the topic, “The 2023 General Elections: Enhancing National Security Capacity for a Secure and Credible Electoral Process in Nigeria’” Muguno gave a speech during the start of the program. In addition to this, he asserted that the election in 2023 will be free of rigging and any other types of manipulation, and he added that the results of the election would be acceptable to the general populace.
He added that the president has made it clear that he is unwavering in his commitment to holding elections that are open to all Nigerians and absolutely free from any appearance of impropriety. As far as the president is concerned, there will be no rigging or manipulation of this election in any way. In furtherance of this, the president has charged the military, the police, and other security agencies to synergize and review their operational strategies and optimally deploy all of their operational assets towards the purpose of addressing current and evolving internal security threats in advance of the general elections. He is however confident that the president’s directions will be carried out, and that the elections in 2023 will be carried out peacefully in an environment that is both stable and secure.
According to Professor Mahmood Yakub, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, election preparations, deployment, and implementation comprise the most widespread mobilization that might happen in a country, regardless of whether the nation is at peace or war. Yakubu said that elections in the country were massive, and he added that the elections in Nigeria in 2023 would require the recruitment and training of staff as well as the management of the logistics for their deployment to 176,846 Polling Units spread across 8,809 electoral Wards, 774 Local Areas, and 37 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Yakubu said that the elections in the country were massive, and he added that the elections in Nigeria in 2023 would involve the recruitment and training of staff. According to him, it also involves a projected voter population of approximately 95 million for the General Election in 2023, which is over 20 million more than the combined voter population of the other 14 countries in West Africa. This is a significant factor in the issue.
