As the 2023 general elections draw near, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has called on political parties and their candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns.
Professor Yakubu made the call at ”the Expert Meeting on Conducting Elections in Volatile Security Environment”, an event organised in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
He said, ‘‘As campaigns commence, we appeal to all political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns. It is the best way to complement our efforts to ensure transparent elections in which only the votes cast by citizens determine the winner.
He added that the meeting was relevant because of the volatile security situation in some parts of the country and its implications on the forthcoming elections.
‘‘It is timely because the election is fast approaching, but there is still time to address the security concerns ahead of the election. Most appropriately, I believe that arising from the shared experience of participants at this meeting, specific recommendations will be made to further enrich our understanding of the security issues in the forthcoming election, the various dimensions of the challenges and, most importantly, possible measures to respond to them to ensure that elections peacefully hold nationwide as required by law, he said.
The INEC boss also noted that the security agencies will also support citizens for peaceful elections.
‘‘After all, only recently, the Inspector General of Police organised a nationwide capacity-building for police personnel on election security. The Police were not only motivated by the same concern of ensuring a secure environment for the election but also enhancing the professionalism of police personnel on election duty,’’ he concluded.