The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Police Force, on Friday exchanged verbal invective over the security lapses that marred last year’s governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, faulted the security deployment in the elections. He said the commission must adopt a different approach to the security deployment in subsequent polls.
On his part, the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, said that security operatives cannot on their own undermine an election without the collaboration of INEC officials.
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Adamu also said that touts cannot disrupt an election without working in connivance with INEC officials and politicians.
Yakubu and Adamu spoke at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja.
Earlier, The Herald reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vowed to prosecute the sitting Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello for double registration, an offence punishable by law under the electoral act.
Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman Voters Education and Information Committee disclosed that immunity was the reason Yahaya Bello is yet to be prosecuted.
Okoye said the commission took the decision after a thorough investigation which saw the dismissal of two staff members and suspension of a highly placed Assistant Director.
According to him, “The case of double registration against the Kogi State governor has not been abandoned but there is nothing the Commission can do now because he is still under immunity.
“But by the time the immunity expires, the Commission will meet and take a decision on the next line of action.
“We started with our Staff who were implicated in the double registration first, while we have to wait until the governor ceases to enjoy immunity, which protects him against prosecution.”
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