Security Council: The presidential poll will hold as scheduled on Saturday- Malami says police, other security agencies ready for polls

The National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the presidential and National Assembly elections billed for Saturday, February 25, 2023, would hold as scheduled.

Briefing State House Correspondents on the outcome of the maiden meeting in 2023 presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the meeting was fully briefed by the Chief of Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police and heads of other security agencies, about  their readiness to provide the necessary security back up for Saturday’s poll.

He said the Council gave all relevant bodies the marching orders that the February 25 election should hold as planned.

According to him, the Council’s meeting was a follow up to earlier meetings of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the Council of States held last week to affirm the readiness of the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police and security agencies to go ahead with the general elections in the country.

Meanwhile, President Buhari disclosed that he engaged in a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu, ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday.

According to him, the meeting, which was at the instance of the Chairman of INEC, was all part of efforts to ensure that the elections were held successfully.

Buhari made the disclosure of the meeting while explaining his five minutes lateness to the inauguration and handover of security equipment valued at over N12 billion to the military and Nigeria Police Force.

He reminded those present that everything needed to be done for a successful election to be achieved.

“I’m being grounded by INEC. You know next Saturday is a great day for us, and I take instructions from INEC so that I make sure there’ll be no excuses for the successful election”, Buhari had told his guests.