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Voters interested in witnessing the collation of votes at polling centres during the general elections are free to do so.

INEC Chairman , Prof. Attahiru Jega

But such freedom is with a proviso: their conduct must be peaceful.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, announced this after briefing the National Council of States on the preparations for the elections in Abuja on Tuesday.

They warned that anyone caught behaving unruly at any polling unit would be arrested and prosecuted.

Jega, who was the first to speak with the journalists, said that the impression that voters could not stay behind and defend their votes was based on a misunderstanding of INEC's guidelines on elections.

He made it clear that INEC would prefer a situation where voters went to their homes immediately after casting their votes.

But he said that voters who wished to stay behind and monitor the collation process were free to do so.

He, however, warned that security agencies had been directed to deal with anyone found to be formenting trouble at polling centres.

The INEC chairman said, "There are concerns over crowd control. These concerns are such that anywhere where about 200 or more people are gathered, there is the possibility of a breach of the peace. When it concerns elections, there is the likelihood that it might get out of hand and lead to violence.

"These were the concerns the members of the council of state raised , and I think at this point, I need to make a clarification about the participation of voters and monitoring of election results.

"What we issued as guidelines is that every voter will come, will be accredited and will be allowed to vote. When he or she finishes voting and chooses to wait and observe the collation, then it must be done peacefully.

"I want to state categorically that we in INEC are not urging people to stay and defend their votes the way people are suggesting it. If anybody chooses to stay, he or she must make sure it is done in non-violent manner. The rules must be obeyed. Anybody who cannot do that should not stay."

Ringim, who also briefed journalists on the matter, said, "People would be allowed to stay as long as they conduct themselves peacefully and not otherwise.

"Anybody that is found to be in a position to threaten the conduct of the election shall be arrested and prosecuted."

The IG had last Friday said that voters would be allowed to witness vote counting at "a reasonable distance from polling centres."

Their position also received the nod of the Nigerian Governors Forum led by Dr. Bukola Saraki of Kwara State.

Saraki, who also spoke with the journalists after the meeting said, "The chairman of INEC had briefed us. He told us that though it was not compulsory that voters should wait, those interested are free to wait and monitor their votes.

"We the governors are not against this, but what we want also is that there should be adequate security for the polling centres.

"We are happy that the commission and the security agents have assured us that they will be able to handle that aspect."

Alhaji Danjuma Goje of Gombe State, who was with Saraki, said that "The police will be patrolling to ensure that people who intend to make trouble are handled properly."

Some political parties and their candidates had been calling on their supporters and members to stay behind at polling centres to monitor the collation and counting of votes.

The NCS had at the meeting reviewed the logistic and security arrangements in place for the elections at the meeting attended also by the service chiefs.

It was learnt that Jega briefed the members on what INEC had put in place to ensure that the polls were hitch-free while Ringim highlighted the security arrangements for the elections which will begin on Saturday.

The NCS members were said to have expressed fears that voters who remained at polling centres after casting their votes might resort to violence and other actions that could derail the calls for credible elections.

The NCS also resolved that politicians and candidates should be careful about divisive statements, especially those alluding to religion and ethnicity.

Former Nigerian leaders at the meeting includes Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Ernest Shonekan.