The 2023 elections will take place as scheduled, according to Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, on Tuesday.

At the 17th installment of the President Muhammadu Buhari, Scorecard Series from 2015–2023, Mohammed made this statement in Abuja.

Following claimed executions carried out by the terrorist Eastern Security Network, part of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, and banditry in the North-West, the minister gave his guarantee.

Since the 2019 general election, there have been over 41 attacks against the Independent National Electoral Commission’s offices in 14 states, with 13 of those incidents occurring in the South-East.

The attacks which started in Abia on May 9, 2021, spread to Enugu and Ebonyi, with three incidents each;  Imo, with two attacks;  Anambra and Abia with one each and in Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states.

Also, INEC on Monday raised the alarm over the rising security situation across the country and its impact on the 2023 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke at the validation of election security training resources in Abuja noted that the forthcoming election faces serious threat of cancellation should the insecurity across the country fail to improve.

Yakubu, represented by the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, explained that “if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate constitutional crisis.

Mohammed, however, said the Federal Government is aware that INEC is working with the security agencies to ensure that the elections are successfully held across the country.

He said, “Let me use this opportunity to respond to inquiries from the media over a widely-circulated report, credited to an INEC official that the 2023 general elections face a serious threat of cancellation due to insecurity.

“The position of the Federal Government remains that the 2023 elections will be held as planned. Nothing has happened to change that position. We are aware that INEC is working wth the security agencies to ensure that the elections are successfully held across the country.

“The security agencies have also continued to assure Nigerians that they are working tirelessly to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere. Therefore, there is no cause for alarm.”