The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), have warned that vote buyers, political thugs and politicians with violent dispositions will be identified, reprimanded and restrained before, during and after the various polls lined up for this year and the general elections next year.
NSA Nuhu Ribadu gave the warning at the first regular consultative meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held at the commission’s national headquarters in Abuja.
He said that action would cover the Area Council Elections in the FCT, different by-elections this month, the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and in Osun states, the general elections in 2027, the nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise (VRE), and ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.
Represented by Hassan Abdullahi, the Director, Internal Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Ribadu, assured that adequate security personnel will be deployed to polling stations and high-risk electoral wards.
“The successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election further underscores President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to free, credible, and violence-free elections, thereby establishing a positive benchmark for future elections.
“This achievement is particularly significant as the nation prepares for upcoming electoral events. These include the Area Council Elections in the FCT, different bye-elections, the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and in Osun states, as well as the general elections in 2027, and the nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise (VRE), and ongoing Continuous Voter Registration,” he said.
On his part, the IGP, equally represented by CP Abayomi Shogunle, said: “We will continue to deploy massively for elections to ensure the polls are violent free.”
