Commission: Insecurity Could Derail Nigeria Elections

Facts

• A representative for the chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Monday that the country's general election next month could be canceled or postponed due to the deteriorating security situation.
• This comes as officials have warned that the rising insecurity could impede the declaration of election results and bring about a constitutional crisis, with local media reporting that 15 states could see violence before, during, and after the elections.
• Mahmood Yakubu, the Commission's chair, said during an election security training event on Monday that the organization would ensure that security was provided for election personnel, materials, and the process as a whole, citing "current insecurity challenges" across the country.
• Yakubu also said that the Commission introduced new technologies and procedures that will be deployed for the elections, including a "Bimodal Verification and Accreditation System" and an "INEC Results Viewing" tool to upload real-time results.
• The security situation in Nigeria has become increasingly dangerous as violence and disorder across the country expands. On Saturday, armed men attacked a train station in the Edo state, kidnapping about 30 people and wounding others.
• More than 90M Nigerians have registered to vote in next month's election, with 18 candidates hoping to oust Pres. Muhammadu Buhari, including Bola Tinubu of the governing APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC News, Von, and Nigeria Info.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Punch. Though Nigeria has faced a variety of challenges in recent years, the nation and its government have remained resilient. Indeed, there were many deliberate attempts to destroy Nigeria, such as Boko Haram, but the government and armed forces managed to persevere. Nigeria will be able to handle this election and the challenges it poses.
• Narrative B, as provided by Von. The economic, political, and security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated in the last seven years, and it would be absurd to think anything has gotten better under Buhari. This election doesn't only face threats from militant groups and criminal gangs but from the government and politicians themselves. Even the Commission may not be trustworthy, as Yakubu is possibly aligned with Buhari.