Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said that the increasing state of insecurity witnessed across the country might stop the 2023 general elections from holding.
He said this while delivering a keynote address at the fourth Abiola Ajimobi annual roundtable and the 72nd posthumous birthday of the former governor of Oyo State, held at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.
Jega explained that the success of the election largely depends on security, noting that a peaceful environment would determine the credibility of the elections.
According to him, “Unless elections are conducted in an environment that is peaceful and secure, its integrity and even the legitimacy of the outcome of that election will be questioned.
“Security challenges undermine electoral integrity. It constrains or disrupts preparations and conduct of elections and it leads to partial or totally illegitimate electoral outcomes.
“As we look forward to the 2023 general elections, there is increasing apprehension that the pervasive insecurity situation in the country may present a formidable obstacle if not an obstruction to that election.
He maintained the need to tackle the rising level of insecurity, which he said if not curbed, would hamper the integrity of the election process.
“If not appropriately and effectively mitigated, security challenges would pose the most serious danger to the integrity of the election process if it evens allows the election to be conducted.”
The former INEC boss also disclosed that the 2007 general elections were regarded as the most flawed election in the history of the country because security agents either worked at cross-purposes or worked for different masters.
