The electoral commission (INEC) issued a warning on Monday that if the country’s present level of insecurity continues, Nigeria’s presidential election, which is set for late February, would be cancelled or delayed.
On February 25, Nigerians will elect a new president to replace President Muhammadu Buhari, a former general who is not running for re-election after serving two terms in office and failing to address the country’s serious security issues (violent jihadist insurgency in the north-east, separatist tensions in the south, and rising crime in the north-west and center).
“If insecurity is not monitored and reduced, it could lead to the cancellation and/or postponement of the elections in enough constituencies to prevent the announcement of the results,” said Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, one of the heads of the INEC, during a meeting in Abuja.
The necessity to prevent this eventuality at all costs is due to the possibility that it could “create a constitutional crisis,” he stated.
He emphasised that all security forces and election authorities must be prepared to handle “any obstacle at any time” in light of the vote on February 25.
The INEC is “doing all possible to ensure that complete security is provided for electoral employees, materials, and processes” in order for the elections to be a success, he continued.
Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, is experiencing a serious economic crisis as well as various security issues.
According to local authorities, gunmen attacked a train station in the south on Saturday night and abducted more than 30 persons, some of whom were later freed. In Nigeria, especially in the north-west and central parts, kidnappings are a prevalent occurrence.
Inec recently issued a warning about the possibility of increased violence during the election campaign and added that it has counted at least 50 attacks since the exercise started almost two months ago, some of which targeted its offices.
There are now 18 contenders running to succeed Buhari, including Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (LP).
