Upcoming Elections Are Going To Be ‘Complicated,’ Predicts National Security Adviser

Babagana Monguno, who serves as the National Security Adviser (NSA) of Nigeria, has predicted the upcoming governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are going to be "complicated."

"Of course, the elections on Saturday are going to be much more complicated, and contextually different," Monguno said, during an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee meeting held in Abuja, Punch reported on Wednesday. "First of all, we are going to have 1021 constituencies which means more people are interested, and more people to vote."

The 66-year-old NSA acknowledged the fact that the dynamics of the forthcoming elections would be much more different compared to last month's presidential elections, which were held on Feb. 25.

Monguno shared that he has been talking with the Chief of Defense Staff and Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, who is responsible to head the security agency during the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

"So far, so good, we do not envisage anything that is going to be terrible or apocalyptic in the next few days," he said. "But that does not mean that we should all do away with our state of readiness. We must comply with the rules.

He added, "We must also allow everyone to exercise their fundamental rights as citizens of this country."

The NSA further asked all the political parties and their candidates to maintain discipline and show maturity not only during the elections, but also after the polls. He urged all the political parties and the individuals that participated to ask their "supporters to conduct themselves in a manner that is congruent with the expectations of a larger Nigerian society."

Monguno noted that there are "channels for laying and addressing complaints," therefore nobody should take the law into his or her own hands.

He concluded, "We are going to give the maximum support to all entities involved in this process. And we are also calling on political parties to call their people to order."

During the meeting, Mahmood Yakubu, who serves as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, also advised all the political parties involved to tell their supporters that the elections held on March 18 are a "contest and not war."

"They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers," he added.

The chairman further explained the governorship and state assembly elections will involve more constituencies compared to the national elections held last month.

Yakubu said, "Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (1 Presidential, 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the state elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 governorship and 993 State Assembly seats)."