Military top brass yesterday briefed the Senate on the security preparedness of the armed forces for the scheduled April general elections, adding that it is waiting for a specific role to play during the polls.
For close to three hours yesterday, Service Chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Martins Agwai, appeared before the Senate in a closed session to answer questions relating to preparations for the forthcoming polls.
Deputy Senate Leader and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Jonathan Zwingina (Adamawa State) told correspondents at the end of the session that it was established at the session that no specific role has been assigned yet to the military.
According to him, �but if for any reason, they are required to perform any role, they are ready to do so and they are preparing for any eventuality.
�They have not yet been assigned any specific role in the elections. Their roles are usually contingent, that is to say, where there is inadequacy in the areas of control, delivery, transport or any problem beyond the police, that is when they will be requested to assist and they act only upon request.
�They assured the Senate that they have got themselves ready, in case the need arises. They have briefed us about their readiness at the border posts, the Northeast, Northwest and other border posts and the Niger Delta area. They are fully prepared for
assistance in those areas if the need arises.�
Zwingina said the Senate was satisfied with the briefings of the Chief of Defence Staff, in his thoroughness, in his details, in his knowledge and in the frankness and candour in answering the questions that senators fired at him.
�We are quite satisfied that the various defence forces are very ready if they are called upon to assist during the general elections, but only if they are called upon.
because that is not their general responsibility.�
The Senate had last week also engaged the police and the State Security Service (SSS) leadership on their state of preparedness for the elections, as well as the security of lives and property in the country.
Meanwhile, Zwingina has dissociated the Senate from any plan to foist on the nation an Interim National Government (ING) with the Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani as the head.
He said the Senate was determined to ensure that there were elections in April.
According to him, the Senate is very desirous of a successful general election, and it is working very hard towards it.
�The Senate met in closed session last week, and resolved to do whatsoever is possible to have a general election conducted next month.
�The Senate has no plan whatsoever for anything other than the conduct of a general election on April 14, for state elections and April 21 for federal elections, and we have resolved irrevocably to assist INEC in whatever way to ensure that the general
elections are successful.�