A non-government organisation (NGO) in Rivers State, Initiative for Credible and Non-violent Election (ICE), yesterday visited the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Musa Sani Yusuf.
The members were led by former President of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) Ledum Mitee.
Mitee, a lawyer, said the visit followed the need “to familiarise ourselves with stakeholders in election process with a view to sell our credible and non-violent election advocacy to them.”
The NGO members earlier visited the secretariat of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Bori Camp Army Barracks with the same message.
Addressing reporters, a coordinator of the group, Don Cookie, said they visited the GOC to introduce their group to him and ask for his cooperation and support in the electoral processes.
Cookie, a former governorship aspirant, said: “Elections are exercises that involve all strata of the society.
“We visited NYSC coordinator yesterday, and today we have come to visit the military over the coming elections, including the June 16 local government poll.
“The Army and other security agencies are part of the election process. Until we redefine our electioneering and elections, this is what we will be faced with.
“What we are asking from security operatives and other stakeholders are diligence and neutrality.
“Lack of these are part of the flashpoint of election violence. So, they must be diligent, they must be neutral; this is the message we are sending to security agencies for the 2019 general election.”
Speaking on the response of their hosts, Mitte said: ”One of the assurances we received from the GOC is that the Army, as a policy, does not get involved in elections. He said his men would support civil society groups during the elections to ensure that law and order are maintained for peaceful and credible polls.”