The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern about the rising insecurity ahead of the governorship elections scheduled for November 11 in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states, Nigeria. The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, also noted that political parties have not substantially submitted the list of their agents despite notices and reminders.
INEC appealed to political parties and candidates to avoid actions and statements that could escalate tensions in the lead-up to the elections. The commission expressed its concern about the security situation, including clashes among political party supporters, and pledged to monitor the situation closely and engage with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful election in the three states.
Regarding the submission of the list of party agents, INEC stated that it had notified all political parties about the opening of its online portal for uploading the list of polling unit and collation center agents. However, compliance has been limited, with only a portion of the expected agents uploaded. INEC emphasized that the portal’s deadline would not be extended and urged political parties to submit their agent lists before the cutoff date.