The Independent National Electoral Commission has condemned the recent attack on Peoples Democratic Party PDP Supporters by some hoodlums in Kaduna during its Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar visit to the State on Monday.
Condemning this act, the Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday at the opening of train-the-trainers workshop, Training of Master Trainers on Technologies for the 2023 General Elections on technology in Abuja stressed that the Commission is working hard to ensure a credible process in the forthcoming elections, reports of clashes among parties and their supporters in some States of the country during the ongoing electioneering campaign is worrisome.
"So too is the reported denial of access to public facilities for parties and candidates in some States of the Federation. Let me caution parties and their supporters to focus on issues and steer clear of attacks on each other," he cautioned.
The INEC Chairman added that these are not only violations of the Electoral Act 2022 but also negate the voluntary commitment by all political parties and candidates to the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord signed about three weeks ago under the auspices of the National Peace Committee (NPC).
He advised political parties, candidates and their supporters should not by acts of commission or omission further complicate the prevailing security situation in the country.
He opined that a peaceful electioneering campaign is critical to the conduct of peaceful and credible elections. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely and will convene a meeting with leaders of political parties next week to discuss, among the other issues, the imperative of peaceful campaigns and equal access to public facilities.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu noted that the Commission will also meet with the security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) next week.