The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained why it deployed military men to both Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections held in July and August respectively.
According to INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, the deployment of armed military men to the states was to curtail violence, adding that the presence of the security men in both Ekiti and Osun states prevented violence to a large extent.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Jega made this statement while presenting a lecture titled, “Curbing Electoral Violence in Nigeria: The Public Relations Dynamics”, held at the media centre of NAN in Igannmu, Lagos.
The INEC boss urged politicians in the country to abide by the rules of politics , while promising that INEC would engender credible electoral process.
Jega, who was represented by the resident electoral commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola said, “ What is bad about the electoral process is the fact that politicians have not risen above all the various causes of violence”.
He therefore implored politicians not to see elections as a do-or-die affair and appealed to Nigerians to work with electoral officers during the upcoming 2015 general elections.
“It is important to note that Nigeria is a country in transition and we are still weaning the political culture from the anti-democratic tendencies that the many years of military rule we lived under, fostered in our national life.
“ As a matter of fact, our electoral system is a work in progress, still undergoing reform processes and policy initiatives aimed at refining the system. Such an imperfect system, understandably could not be completely free of violence,” Jega stressed.
He said the commission has put in place strategic programmes towards the general elections which are distribution of PVC and improvement of the legal frame work. amongst others.
Jega promised that the third phase of the distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) will soon get to other 12 States including Lagos and Kano State.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Joseph Okonmah used the medium to call on all stakeholders to conduct themselves and the interest they represent in a peaceful and orderly manner devoid of intimidation, threat and violence.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the APC complained about the heavy military men deployed  by INEC to Osun during the recently held gubernatorial poll.
The ruling party, whose candidate, incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola defeated PDP’s candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore to win the election, accused INEC and the Police Commissioner in Osun State, Ibrahim-Maishanu, of using the armed security men to threaten its supporters in favour of the PDP.
