By Ndahi Marama

MAIDUGURI—The Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has attributed inconclusive elections in the country to “violence and insecurity.”

Kyari made the observation in his residence in Maiduguri yesterday, while speaking on review of the outstanding sections of the electoral law.

He attributed incessant and inconclusive elections to competition among political parties, which culminates in thuggery and violence in the affected states.

His words: “When you have two political parties that run neck-and-neck in terms of popularity before the electorate, there will be tendency for competition for power that might result in violence if, not well handled.

“When violence erupts in a particular election, the electoral body will have no other choice than to declare the poll inconclusive.

“Even some elections conducted in 2011 by Professor Attahiru Jega, former INEC Chairman, were inconclusive because of violence, particularly that of Imo and Bauchi states.

“So the issue of inconclusive election is not new in our electoral system.”

On the lacuna in the Electoral Act, 2010, such as the case of the death of a candidate during an election, as witnessed in Kogi State, Kyari said the National Assembly was working to correct the anomaly.