The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, has urged all political parties to embrace peaceful electioneering campaign across the country ahead of the 2023 general elections. 

To this end, the police boss solicited their cooperation with the police and other security agencies, to ensure a peaceful campaign across the country.

He stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the signing of the first National Peace Accord on 2023 General Election by all the presidential candidates and their political parties.

He added that Commissioners of Police across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT were directed to meet with the leaderships of all political parties and Resident Electoral Commissioners in their respective states towards mutually evolving the campaign schedules.

He directed that the order be implemented in a manner that would address possible cross-party conflicts in date, time, and venue of their campaigns. 

“I assure that a level playing field and adequate security will be provided for all the political parties during the campaigns.

“I however, wish to specially appeal to all political parties to cooperate with the Nigeria Police in this process and in our general drive to ensure a peaceful electioneering campaign across the country,” he said.

The I-G said the event had complemented President Muhammadu Buhari’s initiative to build a broad political and all inclusive consensus in committing political parties, candidates, agents to the path of  conducting their campaigns in a peaceful manner.

“As we witness the signing of the Peace Accord, I call on all political actors across party lines, to in the overriding national security interest, seal the document in their hearts.

“We will engage the leadership of all political parties at all levels, civil society organisations, the military intelligence community, other security agencies and all other strategic stakeholders in achieving our mandates,”the police boss said. 

Baba explained that stakeholders attention needed to be drawn to the electoral offences as captured in Section 225 (3) of the Constitution prohibiting political parties from holding funds or other assets outside the country.

He added that it was complemented by Sections 88-93 of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) containing provisions on campaign financing, election expenses, limit of donation by individuals to fund political campaigns of a candidate.

“These include falsification of election documents and funding limits allowed by law.

“Cognisance must also be duly taken of Sections 94-102 of the Act which contains provisions on offences relating to campaigns by political parties and the expected conducts by strategic actors in the process.

“This also includes the obligations of INEC officials, media, the Police and other security agencies.

“Under these sections, the police are mandated to provide adequate security for processions and political rallies.

“To resolve conflicts of time and venue between parties in a consultative manner and not to prevent any registered party from holding rallies, procession, or meetings,”he added.

The I-G commended INEC for introducing innovative actions that had proved to be effective in mitigating electoral offences of multiple voters registration, multiple voting, result alterations while on transit to collation centres, and effects of ballot box snatching.

He said while these initiatives deepened the country’s democracy, it was worrisome that political actors were unrelenting in exploring new acts directed at circumventing the electoral process.

One of such, according to him, is the ignoble and unlawful acts of vote buying and attempted cyber attacks on INEC servers.

“We appreciate the assurances of INEC Chairman to continually safeguard the electoral process and assured of the support of the Nigeria Police in this process.

The police boss, however, appealed to party officials to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious, and hateful rhetoric that could incite violence and aggravate insecurity in the nation.

“In drawing on specific examples, there are currently not less than 88 different quasi, sub-national security outfits established by state governments and local communities as well as other non-state regulated pseudo-security outfits.

 “We have been dealing with reports of the deployment of some of these outfits to advance partisan interests in the countdown to the 2023 General Elections.