The chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, has stated that the commission will recover from attacks on its facilities and conduct the 2023 elections.

Yakubu, who made the remark on Friday while making a submission before the House Ad-hoc committee investigating the attacks on the Commission’s facilities, however cautioned that the attacks must stop.

He said the commission had witnessed 50 incidences in 15 states since 2019.

According to him, there were eight attacks in 2019, 22 in 2020 and 12 in 2021 while eight had been recorded in 2022.

The INEC chairman stated that Imo State topped the list with 11 incidences followed by Osun with seven, five cases in Enugu and Akwa Ibom, while Abia and Cross Rivers also had four incidences each.

He further informed that two incidences were recorded in Anambra and Taraba states and one each in Bayelsa, Ondo, Lagos, Borno, Kaduna and Ogun states.

Yakubu informed the committee that while the commission is working to replace damaged or lost items as a result of the attacks, it cannot be doing that forever to conduct elections.

He informed that while INEC is taking measures including relocation of some of the offices from vulnerable areas, it is working on use of technology and collaborating with security agencies to do everything to stop the attacks on its facilities.

He further reiterated that despite the seeming threat to the 2023 elections and the spate of attacks by criminals on its facilities, the commission is confident that such attacks will not stop the conduct of the elections.

In his opening remark, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila represented by Leke Abejide said the investigation was precipitated by a motion brought before the House on the ‘Need To Condemn The Attacks On Offices and Facilities OF The Independent National Electoral Commission’.

He said, “The House had noted the frequent systemic attacks on personnel, offices and facilities of INEC, which are presumably, targeted at crippling the commission and scuttling the 2023 general elections”.

In her welcome address, chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Taiwo Oluga, said “It is on record that, since 2019, over 40 INEC offices and facilities have been attacked and set ablaze.

“These attacks have resulted in the destruction of INEC properties, elections materials and most importantly, thousands of Permanent Voter Cards.

“These systematically orchestrated attacks have the potential to not only undermine the capacity of INEC to organise elections, but could also have a negative impact on the outcome of the 2023 elections.”

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________ ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. Bonus: Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.

How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com

Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola ______________________________________________________________________ “Bridging Theory And Courtroom Practice” — Hagler Sunny Okorie, Nathaniel Ngozi Ikeocha Unveil ‘Functional’ Tort Law Book For Nigerian Legal System The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.