Intimidation of voters: ACF warns security agents

Any security agent who intimidates or harasses voters will face the wrath of the law.
That was the position of the Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Friday.
“There should be no act of intimidation or harassment of an illegible voter in the polling units by the security agents for no just cause,” the Forum said in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, in Kaduna.
To the forum, the primary responsibility of security agents is to protect officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and voters at the various polling units in the country.
“We urge Nigerian youths to shun any act capable of truncating the electoral processes, especially, the smooth conduct of the polls. We also appeal to the electorate to conduct themselves in the general elections across the country. The basis of true democracy is the conduct of free, fair and credible election which the electorate have a major role to play through peaceful conduct.
“Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), therefore, wishes to appeal to all Nigerians, especially the electorate, to conduct themselves peacefully while at the polling units and obey all INEC rules and regulations regarding the conduct of elections. ACF also calls upon the police, in particular, and other security agencies to provide adequate security to both INEC staff and voters and also maintain law and order during and after elections.
“ACF urges the youth, as leaders of tomorrow, not to engage in any act of hooliganism, arson or violence that will jeopardise the process of smooth conduct of elections during and after elections or even allow themselves to be used by selfish politicians to truncate our hard earned democracy.”