Polls may not hold in recaptured towns –Investigation

The Independent National Electoral Commission has yet to decide whether the forthcoming general elections will hold in the North-East communities recently liberated by the military from the Boko Haramsect.Investigations by our correspondents on Thursday revealed that the decision on the elections would be guided by advice from security agencies.The military has recaptured many towns in Borno State, which were previously seized by the insurgents.A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Mohammed Mugono (APC, Borno State), had at the House plenary on Tuesday, said almost all local governments in the state taken over by the sect had been recaptured by the military.The recaptured towns are Mallam Fatori, Gamboru-Ngala, Monguno, Dikwa, Baga and Marte.When the towns were taken over by the insurgents, residents fled to other towns in and outside the stateand to neigbouring countries.Before the towns were liberated, the Senate had directed its committee on INEC to liaise with the commission to establish special polling units for Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East.In response, INEC had made provisions for the IDPs to vote.A top official of the commission, who confided in our correspondent on Wednesday, recalled that INEC had made provision for the displaced people to vote.He, however, said the decision to hold elections in the liberated towns would be determined by security reports from the communities.The INEC official stated, “You will recall that we have decided that eligible voters in the IDP camps will be disenfranchised.“Those communities were liberated during the six-week postponement the security chiefs asked for. Provision was not made fo the people to vote in the towns because they were under the control of Boko Haram.“Our decision to hold elections in the towns will be based on security reports. We have not decided on whether elections will be held in the liberated towns or not.”When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said in an electronic mail to our correspondent that the commission had designed a programme for the IDPs to vote.Asked if elections would hold in the liberated towns or not, he said, “It is too early to say how it goes. INEC had designed a programme to enable the Internally Displaced Persons to vote in low-risk areas where voting centres will be created on the basis of their respective constituencies.“But if they are restored to their communities and are no longer internally displaced, INEC will have to work with that.”According to him, polling units in the IDP camps are not permanent structures. He said they would be set up on the election day after materials and personnel had arrived.“There is no polling unit set up now in the IDP camps,” Idowu stated.Commenting on the probability of holding elections in the towns, Monguno said his people could perform their civic responsibilities because the communities had been liberated.“The people can perform their civic duties and we commend the armed forces for their gallantry,” Monguno stated.