Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Minimah
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, on Tuesday hinted that elections may not hold in North-East communities recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents.
Minimah told journalists after a Security Council meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja that government structures needed to be restored in the town and villages before issues about elections could be discussed.
The presidential election is billed for March 28 while governorship and National Assembly polls will take place on April 11.
The COAS however said that the Independent National Electoral Commission needed to re-assess the situation in the communities before a final stand could be taken on elections.
The Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, had briefed the meeting attended by all heads of security agencies and relevant ministers of the state of the electoral body’s preparedness for the general elections while the security chiefs gave updates on the anti-terrorism war.
Minimah said, “I am not competent to speak on that (elections) matter. INEC is still there, INEC has to re-access the situation and evaluate because the areas have been liberated, but I can also tell you that not all structures of governance have been reinstated.
“They will need to be reinstated so that citizens can go back to their areas and it is then I think they can execute their rights as voters.”
When probed further, the Army chief said he did not know how soon the structures could be reinstated.
When further asked whether the operation could be completed before March 28, he replied , “It is our wish and we pray God gives that to us, but war is war. War sometimes is not fought on some platforms of permutation.”
The COAS disclosed that after reviewing the North-East operations particularly in the last three weeks, the council renewed its confidence in the Nigerian Armed Forces and commended the troops.
He said, “You know Yobe and Adamawa states have been liberated completely and we look forward to the reinstatement of structures of government and governance.
“I am also sure you know that in Borno State, out of the 27 local governments, we have three local governments remaining: Abadam, Kalabaldi and Gwoza and we are optimistic that with time, we will liberate those LGAs.”
Despite the success recorded however, Minimah said there was no news yet on the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, almost a year ago.
He said, “There is no news on the Chibok girls for now. In all the liberated areas , we have also made enquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away, they also run with their families.
“Those we have come in contact with have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away.
“But we are optimistic that as they are losing the areas captured by them, we will get further details on that.”
The Army boss also denied media reports that security agencies were being assisted in the war against terrorism by mercenaries.
“There are no mercenaries employed by anyone. What we have are advisers and instructors and they are all over the world. Whenever you have new equipment, the equipment comes with contract and the contract includes maintenance and the technicians that come with them are those that we hire,” he said.
Jega had emerged from the council meeting at about 2.20pm after briefing the members on INEC’s preparations for the elections.
He was accompanied to the meeting by two top officials of the commission.
When State House correspondents asked him about the meeting, the INEC boss simply said, “I believe it went well.”
He did not answer subsequent questions relating to the use of card reader during the elections and INEC’s level of preparedness as he made his way out of the Presidential Villa.
The meeting which started a few minutes after 11am had in attendance, the Vice President Namadi Sambo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa; the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Muhammed Adoke (SAN); the Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan; the Minister of Interior, Aba Moro; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali.
Others were the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh; the Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jibrin; the Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu; the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba; as well as the heads of the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the Chief of Defence Intelligence.
700,000 PVCs still being produced –Jega
The PUNCH gathered from one of the officials that attended the meeting that Jega reassured the council of INEC’s readiness for the elections.
He was also said to have told the council that 700,000 permanent voter cards were still being produced and that those who had yet to collect their PVCs still had till March 22 to do so.
According to the official, Jega explained that the commission had utilised the six-week period of extension to further perfect the electoral process in order to deliver credible elections to Nigerians.
A copy of Jega’s statement at the meeting tagged “Update on INEC’s preparedness for the 2015 general elections,” was also obtained exclusively by our correspondent.
In the document, the INEC boss insisted that the commission had forged ahead in its determination to conduct the elections on the rescheduled dates.
He said, “It can be seen that INEC has forged ahead with preparations to conduct the 2015 general elections as rescheduled for March 28 and April 11.
“We believe that the period of extension has offered us an opportunity to further perfect the electoral process for the delivery of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
“I am pleased that all the non-sensitive and sensitive materials for the elections, including ballot papers, have now been delivered to states ready for deployment.”
Jega however raised security concerns over the polls.
He stressed the need for soldiers to be on standby in case of violence since policemen who would be at polling booths would not be armed.
The electoral umpire added, “Security on the day of election and the days following the elections remains a major area of concern.
“Among other things, we hope that the traditional ban on public officials moving around with their security details and orderlies will be stringently enforced.
“We also hope that the ban on unauthorised general movement will be enforced. The bounding over politicians and the rounding up of thugs and drug suppliers should be intensified.
“Perhaps most importantly, we appeal for special preparations for protecting election staff, including rapid evacuation when necessary. Corpers’ lodges should also be adequately protected.”
Jega also said that the commission had made full preparations to enable Internally Displaced Persons to vote during the elections.
This, he explained, would apply to IDPs from areas that are worst hit by the insurgency, specifically Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
The plan, according to him, is to create voting centres in safe areas.
He said where applicable, the voting centres would be located close to the IDP camps.
Jega added that the arrangement would require special provisions for security and the commission would be counting on the various agencies for assistance.
He described the turnout for the mock demonstration of card reader as satisfactory.
According to him, the demonstration was also largely satisfactory with close to 100 percent verification and 60 percent authentication.
OLALEKAN ADETAYO
