The Federal Government says it will not allow any group or persons to impede the smooth conduct of elections in the country, according to Monguno.
Retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser (NSA), stated this at the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting, organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Thursday, September 9.
Monguno said that the government would not abdicate its constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property.
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“With the prevalence of security threats occasioned by different dissident separatist groups in the Southern region of the country, who are bent on scuttling efforts of government in achieving national cohesion and undermining the democratic processes in the country.
“The federal government of Nigeria will not tolerate any group or persons; planning to impede smooth conduct of elections.
“While acknowledging the constitutional rights of citizens to freely express their legitimate grievances within the ambits of the law, it is also important to state that the government will not abdicate its constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property as well as a secure environment for citizens to pursue their legitimate means of livelihood,” Monguno said.
He said that the exercise of the mandate of the office of the NSA, it would ensure robust deployments before, during, and after the poll.
He said that this was with a view to countering threats and ensuring peaceful conduct of elections; especially the Nov. 6 Anambra governorship poll.
Monguno commended all ICCES members, especially INEC; for the successful conduct of recent by-election in constituencies across the country.
“This is in addition to the ongoing reforms to reposition the electoral process to deepen the nation’s democracy.
“The successes recorded in the recent by-election in constituencies across the country are attributable to be synergy; between INEC and members of ICCES as well as other stakeholders.
“We hope to consolidate same in the subsequent poll,” Monguno said.
