The National Security Council (NSC) has expressed satisfaction with the level of security across the country, insisting that the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold as scheduled in a safe atmosphere.
The national elections – presidential and National Assembly – will hold on Saturday, while the state polls – governorship and House of Assembly – take place on 11 March.
The NSC’s verdict has finally rested fears and insinuations of a shift of the elections. Reasons proffered included various unpleasant developments, including the intermittent violence and chaos recently witnessed in different parts of the country, in reaction to the pressure mounted by the cash scarcity crisis.
However, reporting the outcome of the Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari to State House Correspondents, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba said the members expressed satisfaction with the situation and agreed that the elections are good to go.
According to Malami, the meeting was fully briefed by the Chief of Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, the IGP and heads of other security agencies about their readiness to provide the necessary security backup for Saturday’s poll.
He said the Council gave a marching order that the 25 February elections should hold as planned.
According to him, the Council’s meeting was a follow-up to earlier meetings of the Federal Executive Council and the NSC last week to affirm the readiness of the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Police and security agencies to go ahead with the general elections in the country.
