The Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mohammed Ibrahim has called for a close working relationship and support from the Nigerian Army towards the successful conduct of the general election in the state.
The REC made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Waidi Shaibu at Headquarters 7 Division, Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, the state capital.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner said that the visit to 7 Division was to also commend previous collaborations with the Army and to ensure a free, fair and credible electoral process during the forthcoming 2023 general election adding that the visit to the Division was crucial at a time when the Commission was faced with the task of delivering a safe, secure and violence-free election.
He, therefore, appealed for the support and collaboration of the military to aid INEC in delivering its mandate without any encumbrances.
Responding, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Waidi Shaibu assured them of the Division’s readiness to ensure a successful and hitch-free exercise. He equally assured that adequate arrangements had been made to support the Commission in ensuring the safety of men and materials throughout the period of the election.
General Shaibu further stressed that the Division was fully aware of the critical nature of the election, especially in the North East and emphasized that all strategies had been mapped out in conjunction with other security agencies, to dominate all flash points in order to ensure the safety of both INEC staff and the electorate during the exercise.
He thereafter informed the commission that the Division would operate within its mandate, in line with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Nigerian Army Personnel, during the 2023 general election, as directed by the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya.
PIAK
