2023 elections: Presidential aide advocates for deployment of DSS officials

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Honourable Nasiru Baballe Ila, has said the services of the Department of State Services (DSS) is needed to ensure adequate security of lives and property in the 2023 general elections.

Hon. Ila made the assertion in his office when the leadership of the Committee of Youth on Mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS), led by the Director General, Comrade Obinna Nwaka paid him a courtesy visit.

He said peaceful elections is crucial to deliver the dividends of democracy and the police cannot not do it alone. According to him, mobilising the DSS in conjunction with other security agencies will secure the environment for credible elections and also mitigate threats to disruption of electoral process.

The presidential aide also said the presence of the secret security agents in polling units, will minimise interference of politicians and their supporters in the process.

Hon Nasiru Baballe Ila however reaffirmed his commitments to supporting the Inter- Ministerial national sensitisation and interactive programme by CYMS in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Special Duties & Inter-government Affairs.

Earlier, the Director General, Committee of Youth on Mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS), Comrade Obinna Nwaka congratulated the SSA on his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as his aide on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).

He described the Presidential Aide as a leader and detribalised Nigerian for the engagement of young people in his office with reference to Mr Lanre Adeyemi, his Technical Assistant who hails from another tribe.

Nwaka said CYMS under his leadership will continue to work with his office in amplifying the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari, in addition to promotion of good governance, policies & programmes of the Federal government.

The Director General also seek for more collaboration with the SSA in sensitising young people in higher institutions and grassroots level on the need to desist from involving in all forms of negative vices during the elections.

He said his team is working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in ensuring that politicians who plan to engage in vote buying during the 2023 elections did not succeed.

According to the DG, volunteers will be trained and deployed in all the polling units across the country to resist it.

Other CYMS officials present were Mallam Shamsudeen Haruna; Director, Planning & Strategy, Adeyemi Qudus; Director Logistics, Taiye Akintola; Admin Officer, Ruth Eluu CYMS Volunteer.