2023: Nigeria’s Security Council Says No Change In Election Dates

By Akinwale Kasali

Speculations that  Saturday’s Presidential Election might not hold, has been rubbished by the Nation’s Security Council. Elections will hold as scheduled, the Council has said.

The Security Council said that it was satisfied with the state of  security in the Country, therefore,  “no going back” on the February 25 and March 11 election dates.

Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation, disclosed that  the Council’s maiden meeting for 2023, chaired by  President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, was meant to allay simmering concerns that the Federal Government may postpone the elections amidst the new naira crisis.

With the crisis ensuing from the Central Bank’s new Naira policy coupled with the fuel scarcity in most parts of the country, some Governors and public office holders alleged deliberate plans by the Federal Government to shift the election dates, a claim that the Presidency repeatedly denied.

Malami, said the Federal government had made enough preparations ahead of Saturday’s elections.

He said the members expressed satisfaction with the current security situation and resolved that the elections must be held as planned.

According to Malami, Council members were briefed by the Chief of Defence Staff, the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs, and heads of other security agencies about their readiness to provide the necessary security cover for the election.

He noted that the Security Council meeting was a follow-up to earlier meetings by the Federal Executive Council and the Council of States to ascertain the readiness of the electoral watchdog, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force for the general election.

“At the National Security Council meeting, briefings were made by security agencies generally and service chiefs.

“National Security Adviser made submission; Chief of Defence Staff made one; Chief of Army Staff made submission; Chief of Naval Staff made submission, Chief of Air Staff did; Inspector-General of Police, who incidentally is equally addressing you, made submission; Director-General, State Security Service did; and indeed DG NIA and CDI all made submissions.

“The summary and conclusion of all submissions was to the effect that the system is wholeheartedly ready for the conduct of the election and arising there from, the position of the government, the position of the President is to the effect that the election is holding on February, 25 2023 and Mr. President and the National Security Council are happy with the preparations on the ground and wholehearted arrangements are put in place in that direction.”

Malami added that there was no going back on the planned elections.

“So we have been mandated, arising from the conclusions of the Security Council meetings to now brief you accordingly, but the summary of it, the conclusion of it, the resolution of the Council, is to the effect that the elections are holding and there is no going back about it,” Malami said.