The National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari, Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) on Thursday said the 2023 general elections will be the most free, credible and peaceful polls in the nation’s political history.
Monguno gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of election security management workshop organised by the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with Solar Security and Consult Company Limited in Abuja.
He said that the security of the general elections rests squarely with the police being the lead internal security agency in election management.
The NSA emphasized that the President’s assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2022 on February 25, 2022 is to demonstrate his commitment to a free, fair and credible polls.
He said the Act had given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the financial autonomy to conduct credible polls as was witnessed in the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections recently.
His words: “The President is committed to delivering an election that is free, fair and credible. It will be devoid of any form of ‘wuru wuru’ as used in the Nigerian parlance”.
The retired Army general however appealed to the head of all the security agencies in the country to collaborate and work in synergy towards providing adequate security to ensure a successful electoral process.
Minister of Police Affairs Muhammed Dingyadi said the nation is working towards having a free, fair and credible election in 2023.
Dangyadi also appealed to all the nation’s security agents to conduct themselves properly so that the nation’s dream of having a credible election can be fulfilled.
The Inspector-General of Police IGP said that election security management is critical to the conduct of elections in Nigeria and the world over.
He noted that over the years, there had been concerns over the ability of the Police to manage the nation’s elections and the electoral process.
He added that there is a need to close the knowledge gap for election security personnel deployed for elections adding that these officers are expected to transfer acquired knowledge to others.
He assembled eight former Inspectors-General of Police to brainstorm on the role of the Force in election security management in Nigeria
The Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) General Lucky Irabor assured of the readiness of the Armed Forces to support the police by providing the necessary security for free, fair and secured general election.
The eight retired IGPs who are now retired in attendance at the security summit include Aliyu Attah, Musliu Smith, Sunday Ehindero, MD Abubakar, Suleiman Abba, Mike Okiro, Ibrahim Idris, Ogbonna Onovo and Solomon Arase.
