The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Friday announced the official figure of personnel needed to conduct the forthcoming general elections.
According to Yakubu, INEC needs no fewer than 2million personnel to conduct the 2019 general elections.
Yakubu said this through the chairman Board of the Electoral Institute (BEI), Dr. Sa’ad Idris at the election security personnel training of trainers in Kano State.
He said: “Election is supposed to be a civil exercise so you have to conduct yourself in such a manner that the electorate will not be scared of you.
“This training on election security is, therefore, very important as it will serve to equip the security personnel with knowledge of our electoral process, electoral environment, electoral laws and guidelines and the risk elements inherent or associated with them. INEC needs no fewer than 2million personnel to conduct the 2019 general election.
“Therefore, I implore participants to take the training seriously as it will deepen your standard Electoral Operation Guidelines and create a harmonies relationship amongst security agencies on election duty.”
The training was organised by INEC in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support, ECES, and the European Union, EU.
On his part, ECES Project Director, Rudolf Elbling, who was represented by the ECES Senior Media and Communications Advisor, Paul Anderson, said: “Security agencies have critical roles to play in securing the electoral process, a role that has become more challenging in view of reported cases of security breaches in certain parts of the country.
“The issue of security is indeed very complex in a vast country like Nigeria where election personnel and materials have to be deployed across land expanse and some difficult terrain.
“Election officials can only discharge their responsibilities of organising elections, including deployment and retrieval of materials in a secured environment.
“Voters also require a peaceful environment to be able to come out and vote during elections without fear of intimidation and harassment.”
Comments