The Zamfara State Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has organized a session for signing of peace accord by political parties in the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Chairman of the ICCES and Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command CP Kolo Yusuf who chaired the session said the meeting was aimed at stimulating healthy interaction and mutual discussion on matters relating to the security and overall conduct of the February, 2023 General Election.
He explained that, the ICCES is an adhoc committee of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, made up of the various security agencies to ensure free, fair and credible election.
During the session which was attended by all the eighteen registered political parties, CP Kolo said, the committee is the clearing house on election security matters engendered by the need to pull security assets together for efficient and effective deployment and management during the forthcoming elections.
Kolo assured the political parties of the committee’s commitment and determination to create a conducive atmosphere for free, fair, credible and non-violence election, saying they would ensure a transparent robust security platform to Police the 3,529 polling units in the 147 wards of the 14 local government areas of the state.
He reiterated that, quasi-security outfits during campaigns/rallies and other electoral processes is banned, similarly Kolo warned that, use of firearms and other offensive weapons remained prohibited, as infractions will obviously be visited with consequences.
“Let me assure you on behalf of my colleagues that we shall remain neutral, fair to all and firm on matters that deviate from the rules of the game and receptive to genuine complaints” CP said.
On his part, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Saeed Babura Ahmad said peaceful, free, fair and credible election would enable Nigeria to a raise its heights among other nations, he therefore appealed to all political parties to give maximum support and cooperation to INEC, security and other stakeholders to ensure success.
All the political parties and their Governorship candidates/representatives have signed the accord and vowed to abide by its provisions.
Abdulrazak Kaura
