NSA predicts pre and post-election violence for 2015 elections

NSA predicts pre and post-election
violence for 2015 elections
Like it has been with all general elections
since the advent of democracy, the
National Security Adviser (NSA) to the
president, Mr Sambo Dasuki, has warned
that there could be pre and post violence
in the country during the 2015 general
elections.
The
security adviser based his warning on the
prevailing volatile security situation in the
country, noting that the violence would come
“with a different angle”.
“There could be possible violence but with a
different angle to it, not only post-election but
before and during, because of the prevailing
security situation, unless the security situations
get better before then” he stated.
Mr Dasuki made this known on Wednesday at
the opening of a two-day workshop with the
theme ‘Security Challenges of Election
Management: Matters Arising from 2011 and
Participating in 2015’, organized by the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) and the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung
Foundation. He called on all security agencies to
avoid post-election violence in the country.
According to the retired army Colonel “The
competition among politicians may be more
intense in 2015; so more tension should be
expected.”
“No two elections are the same; 2015 is likely to
bring new challenges” observed the NSA, but he
however noted that the crises can be averted,
“Nigeria can get anything right when there is
determination and political will on the part of
critical stakeholders to achieve success.”
“There are likely to be challenges, however how
well- prepared a country may be, especially in
the provision of election security. The
unexpected could happen; a good example was
the post-election violence, (in 2011), which was
not expected, especially in context and
magnitude.”
“Thorough preparation and coordination of
information, strategies and operations among
various security agencies would always be
necessary for successful conduct of elections.”
He called for a collaborative effort between the
electoral body, security agencies and Nigerians
ahead of the general polls, saying “The security
agencies, INEC, politicians and the general
populace must harmonise their views, be on the
same page, as in the case of the 2011 general
elections.”
“The election must be free, fair and credible so
that Nigeria could get out of a long cycle of
disputed and not so credible elections. This was
the message drummed into everyone’s ears
before the elections” Mr Dasuki affirmed.
He expressed the confidence that the security
agencies could avert the crises saying if the
agencies “Bring to bear, the same level of
commitment, dedication, rehearsals,
preparedness, coordination, motivation and
attitude to succeed, which I am confident they
would, there may not be much problems.”