By Lexi Elo
Latest election poll results released by NOIPolls Limited, a country-specific polling services in West
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Africa, have revealed that 55% of adult Nigerians surveyed is of the opinion that the emergency rule imposed on three states in the North-East region should be lifted during the 2015 elections.
This stance was mainly advocated by a high majority (72%) of respondents from the North-East zone (which has states including Borno, Yobe and Adamawa under emergency rule). The slight majority across all the Southern regions feel the emergency rule should still prevail.
Findings also revealed that 40% of respondents interviewed believe it will be “somewhat safe” for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections in states under the emergency rule. Further assessment on the anticipated level of security during the 2015 elections revealed that 68% of Nigerians expect nothing less than secure vicinity during this period.
Twenty-two per cent of respondents from the North-East zone anticipate an insecure vicinity during the 2015 election. Moreover, 78% of adult Nigerians have faith in the ability of the Nigerian security agencies to preserve law and order during the 2015 elections. These were some of the key findings from the Countdown to the 2015 Election Poll conducted in the week of August 18th 2014.
As preparations heat up ahead of the 2015 general elections, insecurity prior to and during the election period continues to be a critical issue of debate. Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State recently stated during a courtesy visit by the students from the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, that the level of insecurity in the nation is a threat to free, fair and credible elections and this may impede the ability and the desire of Nigerians to make a selection in the 2015 general elections.
In line with this, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to overcoming the current security challenges facing the nation before the 2015 general elections. However, in a bid to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, recently assured Nigerians at the decoration of eight newly promoted officers, that the police would lead other agencies in ensuring a peaceful conduct of 2015 elections.
This highlights the need for more proactive methods to combat insecurity in Nigeria to ensure the long term safety and security of the masses and nation, as well as to prevent fraud and violence especially during the 2015 general elections.
Against this background, NOIPolls conducted its Countdown to the 2015 Election poll to seek the views of Nigerians regarding security issues during the 2015 general elections. This is the fifth in the series of election polls conducted by NOIPolls (the first one was conducted in April 2013) and the fourth in the series of bi-monthly polls that will be conducted as Nigeria counts down to the elections in 2015.