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Tag: electoral violence

  • INEC, 15 political parties unite to fight vote-buying, electoral violence

    INEC, 15 political parties unite to fight vote-buying, electoral violence

    …eschew violence during Feb 22 LG election – IPAC warns Osun candidates

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties under the auspices of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have agreed on blueprints to tackle vote-buying and electoral violence.

    IPAC during its annual political stakeholders’ workshop held in Osogbo, Osun state, tagged: “Our Democracy: The Way Forward”, had an attendance of state chairmen of about 15 political parties warned against electoral infractions.

    Speaking at the event, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mutiu Agboke lamented that political stakeholders are the ones perpetrating vote-buying and violence during the election.

    He said: “They agreed with me that they are the ones perpetrating both vote-buying and violence, not INEC.  One of the steps we need to take to stem it out is for us to start massive education which we are starting today. We need to talk to them to be able to understand how to compose themselves and ensure that people are better encouraged and not compelled to vote.

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    Earlier, the State Chairman of IPAC, Pastor Victor Akande, explained: “We are here today for a workshop to ensure a way forward for our democracy.

    “We discussed two issues; violence and vote-buying which are affecting our democracy. As political parties, we need to come together to see the way forward to tackle these two issues that have caused a lot of problems for our political system.”

    On the forthcoming LG election, he said: “I advise all political parties to conduct themselves peacefully and avoid issues that can cause chaos in our political system that can threaten the unity of the state.”

  • NNPP, APC trade blames over electoral violence, suspension in Kano

    NNPP, APC trade blames over electoral violence, suspension in Kano

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano on Saturday traded blames over the disruptions and irregularities that marred the House of Assembly rerun polls.

    The disruptions and irregularities, including the hijacking of electoral materials resulting in violence led to the suspension of the election in Kunchi/Tsanyawa constituency of the State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    While the NNPP accused the APC of “brutally attacking” its members at some polling units in the affected constituency, the latter said the NNPP allegedly snatched election materials from INEC officials and ran with them.

    Kano Chairman of the NNPP, Hashim Suleiman Dungurawa, in a statement accused APC of perpetrating the violence.

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    “We noticed with dismay, the sporadic attacks on the unsuspecting voters with the aim to disenfranchise them from exercising their civic rights.

    “Since last night, we sighted the deployment of thousands of thugs hired by the APC to distract the election process,” Dr. Dungurawa said.

    The APC secretary Zakari Sarina, in a swift reaction, said no rerun election held in Kano.

    Sarina described the NNPP’s comment as “baseless,” asking the NNPP chairman to bury his head in shame for his “misleading statement.”

    He alleged that NNPP’s hired hoodlums were deployed across the polling units preventing voters legitimate right to vote.

    He said: ”NNPP took over all the entire polling units in Kunchi/Tsanyawa and turned themselves into agents of APC, PDP and even denied INEC the statutory duty because they hijacked the materials and wrote results. Thank God the election has been canceled.”

  • Succour for Bayelsa victims of electoral violence

    Victims of the last general elections from Nembe Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, received some succour recently. A philanthropist, Reuben Okoya, an Architect brightened their world. Okoya, one of the leading governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) visited them and made cash donations in order to alleviate their suffering.

    The people of Bassambiri, mainly members of the PDP, were chased out of their ancestral homes during the last Presidential and National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections.

    They were reportedly sent packing by their brothers and sisters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following unresolved political disagreements. Since the incident, some of them have been living as displaced persons at King Koko Centre in Ogbolomabiri, Nembe.

    But Okoya, out of sympathy, paid them a visit. Okoya has been at the forefront of donating to people in need. During the last flood that ravages most communities, he visited some of the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps and donated relief materials.

    His visit to the victims of political struggle was special. It restored hope to the hopeless and made them believe in their party. Okoya gave them N2 million and promised to engage his friends and other interventionist agencies to facilitate their resettlement at home.

    Okoya was accompanied to the event by the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Zedekiah Isu. He told them that his efforts to help the downtrodden were borne out of his antecedent as a manager of resources, cities and people.

    Addressing the displaced persons, he said: “Last year, we had a very big flood in Bayelsa. During that period of the flood, I went out with my team supported by SEMA. We went round the state helping those victims by providing them with food, money and equipment for them to survive the period. I was a commissioner of Bayelsa State during Alaemieseigha time, in Jonathan’s time I went to Abuja to work as a City Manager. So, I manage cities, I manage people and I manage resources.

    “A few months ago, I heard that there were some displaced people in Nembe because of political reasons. The truth is that you are all our brothers, our children, our sisters, our fathers and mothers. In this day and age, nobody from Nembe should be displaced. The United Nations recognises that displacement can come from war, famine or factors beyond human control but you are displaced for reasons that can be controlled by humankind.

    “They pushed you out of your homes and your comfort, but I can help you. I can identify with you and help you provide funding to be able to help you out for at least this short period. Your kids have to go to school. You still have to cure malaria and typhoid.”

    While observing that Boko Haram victims were catered for by the Federal Government, Okoya wondered: “Who is taking care of you?” He, however, thanked the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson for giving monthly stipends to the victims for their upkeep.

    But he said: “Those of us who are fortunate should also help. I am fortunate and I must give back to those who are less fortunate. I have come to help. I want to ask all Bayelsans who are out there, who consider you their brothers and sisters to also help, no matter how little.

    “We want to appeal to all Bayelsans to be our brothers’ keeper because you are displaced now, it might be us tomorrow. We need you to be with us at all times. I also appeal to businesses and companies that are doing well in Bayelsa State to bring something to the table to help you.

    “I am sure the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has a fund for helping less privileged people. They can provide because the money is not much. So, they can help you to go back home. Our prayer is that in some weeks from now you will go back to your homes but in the meantime how do you survive?

    “I appeal to the NDDC and other federal agencies to come to your rescue. We know you were displaced for some political reasons. We want to appeal to the Federal Government to come and make your area safe, so that you can go back home and live.”

    Okoya described displacement as a terrible experience, adding that it causes anger, especially when one realises that the people involved were from oil-producing communities. He said the people would be indignant that the Federal Government had done nothing to them despite taking their resources.

    He urged them to remain calm and peaceful and avoid the temptation of resorting to violence.

    He said: “I want to appeal to everyone to come to your rescue and restore your dignity. When you take someone’s dignity from him, you take everything from him. I see young men who have families but they can’t cater for their families.

    “I want to encourage you to be steadfast, no matter how painful you get, no matter how depressed you get, no matter how frustrated you get, don’t take to violence. “But I want to appeal to you to co-operate with your chiefs and leaders. They are also doing their best. It is not an easy job, but when Nembe people come as one, when we unite as one, then we become stronger.”

    The philanthropist urged people to avoid violent conflict that could lead to displacement. He advised that even when people disagree, they should not resort to violence to avoid humanitarian consequences.

     

  • Bayelsa buries victims of electoral violence

    The Bayelsa State Government on Friday buried the late Government House photographer, Reginald Dei and Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Seidougha Taribi, who were reportedly killed by soldiers during the last elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Governor Seriake Dickson as saying that the victims were interred in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Speaking during a meeting with political appointees in Yenagoa, Dickson accused the leadership of the nation’s security agencies of deliberately shielding the perpetrators of the heinous acts.

    He said that the masterminds of the violence and killings during the election were being protected from arrest and prosecution.

    He said: “These two young men were cut down in their prime for no reason. The criminals responsible for this heinous crime are being guarded by security agencies. It is indeed another sad reminder of the things the Federal Government do to us as a state.”

    Dickson described the gruesome killings as acts of terrorism against the state adding that Dei and Taribi were not near any polling unit when soldiers were led to kill them in their residence in Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area òf the state.

    The governor condemned the use of the country’s Armed Forces and security agencies for brazen acts of murder and terrorism against innocent citizens.

    Dickson also berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for colluding with the opposition to subvert the will of the people.

    He pointed out that despite the sacking of Bassambiri in Nembe LGA, and failure to use card readers during the election, INEC went ahead to accept fake results to foist a Senator and House òf Representatives on the people.

    He said: “You can see that in most of the states where the RECs were firm, INEC said no, let the result come from the field; even with the big names and money, they were firm.

    “But here in Bayelsa, a community like Bassambiri in Nembe LGA was sacked and the next day, after 24 hours of shooting, they just drove election materials straight to their location and INEC went on to announce what it got. Card readers were not used and yet some persons are parading themselves as winners.”

    Read Also: Host communities kick against Dickson’s commission of inquiry

    The governor charged party faithful to expect more intimidation and harassment from the APC ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state”

    “The APC’s plan for the governorship election is more than what we saw in the last election because the next one is an isolated election. They are planning to do ten times even more and that is why you must be steadfast and calm”, he said.

    He said that the state PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cleopas, would soon set up a committee to examine the party’s results in the last election in the various units, wards and communities.

    He said stakeholders and party leaders of the would appear before the committee to give account of their stewardship.

  • Benue PDP petitions CP over alleged soldiers’ brutality, electoral violence

    LEADERS of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Apa Ward, Ado Local Government Area (LGA) in Benue State have appealed to the state Police Commissioner over the alleged assault and intimidation of their members during the March 9 governorship election by soldiers on the orders of Agbese Philip.

    They alleged that Nelson Ogbu, Comrade James Oche, Emmanuel Aboh, Ogbu Ogaba, Innocent Egegwu, Susan Onmonya, Kingsley Onmonya, Otse Unazi, Udah Okibe and the entire PDP Ward executives in the ward were harassed, intimidated by the soldiers led by one Corporal Echo Omerigwe (a.k.a. Tension).

    According to the petition signed by their lawyer, M.S. Agaku, the soldiers also intimidated innocent voters, who were sympathetic to the PDP.

    The petition added that Agbese, who brought them, bragged publicly that they were assigned to him by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

    “Agbese Philip also boasted that as a consultant to the Nigerian Army, he has the capacity and the authority to commit any crime,” it stated.

    The petitioners alleged that Agbese led suspected thugs identified as Attah Adadu, Mike Omerigwe and a corps member serving in Bayelsa State, Otse Unazi, among others to New Site Polling Unit, where notable members of the PDP were beaten up.

    Those beaten up, according to the petition, include the Senior Special Assistant to Benue State Governor on Media, Nelson Ogbu and Senior Special Assistant to the former Senate President James Oche.

    They added that those assaulted were forced to abandon their polling unit for their safety.

    “These assaults, threats, intimidation continued in other polling units in Azegbilede, RCM Primary School, Austine Chemist, Apa Ugbozu, Methodist Primary School ll, Uwezekoka and many others, wherein the Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State Joseph Ogezi and his fellow voters were brutalised.

    “Ballot boxes and other electoral materials were forcefully snatched, later thump-printed and returned back to INEC office leading to the cancellation of election in 10 affected Polling Units.

    “Agbese Philip, the soldiers and thugs publicly embarked on more terrible acts, including but not limited to burning of electoral materials in areas, where the APC performed abysmally. These acts affected the outcome of the election in the ward where results of 10 polling units were cancelled,” the petition stated.

    According to the lawyer, the PDP was concerned that in the scheduled rerun, Agbese might exhibit similar attacks, alleging that he was already bragging about the assignment of more soldiers and thugs to him.

    Calling on the police to investigate those involved with a view to bringing them to justice, the lawyer said actions should also be taken to safeguard life and property in the scheduled rerun.

     

  • ‘Buratai should probe electoral violence’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has appealed to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to investigate the violence which happened during the elections.

    The party said some Army officials directly participated in the elections, and called on the military to redeem its image by probing incidents linked to them.

    Chairman Moses Cleopas said the activities of the Army deployed in Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw should be queried by the military.

    Cleopas lamented that PDP members were targets during the elections; he describing the situation as unhealthy.

    The chairman, however, described the victory of some candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as temporary, and vowed that his party would retrieve its mandate from them.

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    He said: “APC chieftains came with military men and doctored results and forced INEC to change results to APC’s favour. This will not stand.

    “Nembe 2 and 3, Bassambiri was taken over by hoodlums. They chased away all PDP members from the community. Policeman who went there to maintain the peace were driven out by APC members. There were no proper elections there…”

    “We call on the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the activities of his officers and men in Bayelsa because it has become recurrent that soldiers now chase PDP members.”

  • Lokpobiri to Dickson: stop linking us to electoral violence  

    Minister of State for Agriculture Heineken Lokpobiri has urged  Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson to stop linking him and a former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, to electoral violence.

    The minister, in a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media, George Oji, said it was unfortunate the governor always associate APC leaders with violence.

    He described the governor’s allegations as lies against APC leadership in Bayelsa.

    The governor, while fielding questions from reporters in Yenagoa, alleged Lokpobiri, Sylvia and other party leaders in Bayelsa were violent persons, who deploy thugs to create panic and rig elections.

    Dickson added: “I am not known for supporting criminals and militants like them. I am not known to use security agencies to intimidate people. It is my duty to protect the state from the violence and brigandage that is their brand of politics.

    “So, there is no moral equivalence between their brand of politics and my politics. We are poles apart. The world knows”

    But Lokpobiri said Dickson was  behaving as if he was unaware of the high demands of his office, and lacked the mental and intellectual capacity to be governor.

    He said Dickson should realise that governance demanded more than the ridiculous and caricature act of ringing bells and dancing in the public arena.

    The minster described Dickson as the mastermind and architect of political violence, alleging the governor mobilised thugs to his home during the 2015 governorship elections.

    He further accused the governor of deploying thugs in Toro-Orua, Ebedebiri, Angalabiri, Sagbama, Akede, Toro-ebeni, Okunbiri, Ekeremor, Peretorugbene, among others, to intimidate voters and engage in ballot-box snatching.

    The minister said Tamarauebi Babofa, a victim of the 2015 Sagbama mayhem, still lives with the agony of his two legs cut off.

    He said Dickson recently appointed ex-militants as council chairmen and vice-chairmen, and was planning to use them for elections.

    The governor said it was time to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate what the governor did with the N1.3 trillion that accrued to the state in the last seven years, exclusive of council allocations and loans.

    He said: ‘’For instance, Dickson has continued to bandy conflicting figures as to the real cost of the state airport project.

    “At one point he would put the cost at N60 billion, yet at another instance, he would say the figure is N62 billion and at another instance, he would claim the amount is N80 billion. It is difficult to pin the governor to any credible figure for the project.

    “Communities in Bayelsa State are called to interrogate the impact and value addition, if any, of the Dickson’s governmen. This, no doubt, will expose the governor’s incompetence in office.

    ‘’The security agencies should be on the alert to check Dickson’s activities, particularly on thuggery and violence, vote-buying, ballot-snatching and others.

    “The people of Bayelsa deserve to be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise under a violent-free atmosphere. The free reign of terror by Dickson in Bayelsa must stop.”

  • Curtailing electoral violence

    SIR: Electoral violence is perhaps the most pronounced challenge to Africa’s democratic resilience. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) presents to the world the latest episode of electoral antipathy in Africa. Following the provisional announcement of the result of the

    December 30, 2018 general elections in the country, there have been civil unrests in major cities of the country, culminating into killings and arbitrary arrest. This has obviously amplified the health and economic crisis already bedevilling the country.

    Historically, electoral violence has served as a dress rehearsal to many civil wars in Africa, which has shaped its socio-economic and political destiny. Nigeria is within days of its sixth quadrennial elections since the end of military rule in 1999 and having enjoyed almost 20 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, its democracy ought to have transcended beyond the quandary of political shenanigan but the habitual incidences of election-related catastrophe have not inspired such optimism.

    Since independence, Nigeria electoral history has been marred by violence. Prevalent forms of this violence exude in assassinations, arsons, violence-pruned campaigns, thuggery, election-related ethno-religious crisis, snatching of ballot boxes among others.

    Electoral violence is a problem that has ravaged the entire bloodstream of the country’s political system and alienates the citizens politically.

    The senseless killings and destruction that trailed the 2019 primary elections in most parts of the country present a perturbing contradiction to the electoral aspiration of majority of the citizens as tension continue to rise about the general elections amidst a deeply tense security environment and an already ailing economy. Besides, the recent wave of unguarded and incendiary remarks emanating from the country’s political elites has further enliven the palpable tension and anxiety of both local and international electoral stakeholders.

    Aggressive languages and hate speeches between and among political parties and supporters; rumours of politically motivated attacks; violent activities of politically-charged youth; drug abuse are usually the absurdity that prelude elections in this part of the world. Although, comparative political scientists have always argued that violence is a major feature of political life everywhere around the world, the pervasive acceptance, intensity, trends and dimensions in Nigeria’s political system is devastating and causing a great distortion to its social structure. In the face of this hostility, the fear of localized conflicts snowballing into nationwide crisis is a major concern.

    The role of political elite in orchestrating and inciting election violence is well profound in our electoral landscape. The perfidious argument of them being passion-driven is ridiculous as the nation’s political memory is replete with instances of political parties circumventing electoral proceedings in the face of uncertain election outcome.

    Despicably, the altitude of impunity in the country has emboldened this aberration. With the flurry of crimes escorting elections in recent years, it is intriguing to note that members of the political class responsible for instigating this plethora of violence as well as their foot-soldiers who undermine the electoral process by perpetrating these violent acts are never dragged before the law.

    Unless we improve the metrics for evaluating preventive measure and address the underlying drivers of conflict, elections will remain a flashpoint for violence and tension in the country. The argument of building up the material capacity of the security sector is only advisable in cases where a well-trained and equipped police force presents a domestic guarantee for election security rather than a tool of manipulation in the hands of an authoritarian incumbent.

    The propensity of violence increases when security officials are perceived abetting electoral injustice, thereby, incentivizing the already enraged supporters and sympathizers of the opposition. Nonetheless, election as an irreducible feature of democratic governance can sow the seeds of good governance if properly managed; it is the nexus and conduit-pipe through which a progressive society is attained where accountability, social justice, rule of law, gender equality and quality leadership is deepened.

    Media organisations and consortium of civil society organizations have a key role to play in reducing election-related conflict dynamics and promoting a peaceful electoral environment. If given the civic space to participate and accorded the opportunity to express their objections, they bear the magic touch of ensuring that an electoral process is transparent, inclusive and peaceful by raising awareness of youths, women and other electorates to clearly understand the power repose in them in reforming governance.

    Finally, to change the narrative of our democratic adventure, citizens must display undaunted desire to challenge fissiparous forces that war against electoral orderliness.

     

    • Kehinde Akinfenwa, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • ‘Electoral violence threatens democracy’

    ELECTORAL violence, if not quickly nipped in the bud, is a threat to democracy in Nigeria, a candidate contesting for a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly under Kosofe Constituency 1, Mr. Adekunle Afariogun, has said.

    Afariogun issued this warning during a news briefing to mark his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said until urgent measures were taken by the government and Independent National Electoral Commission to arrest the spate of killings and destructions before, during and after elections in the country, it would be difficult for Nigeria and its people to fully reap the benefits of democracy.

    Afariogun, who initially left the APC as a result of what he described as injustice allegedly meted out to him and others during the recently concluded party’s primaries, said he decided to return to the progressive fold after wide consultations, especially after being given assurances of redress by the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    He said pending when things would be fully sorted out, he had advised and positioned his supporters to work for the success of the APC during next year’s general elections.

    “There is urgent need for the government, INEC and all relevant stakeholders to come together and fashion out a viable means through which to tackle electoral violence. Without peaceful conduct of elections, our democracy cannot thrive and as a country, we will never be able to reap its full benefits.

    “To ensure that I contribute meaningfully to the progress of our democracy, I have returned to the APC after being prevailed upon by our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I and my supporters would work for the success of the party during next year’s polls and also ensure that we curtail violence during the polls,” Afariogun promised.

  • Youths advised to shun electoral violence

    THe Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Emmanuel Olarenwaju Bamigboye, has advised youths to shun violence during the coming general election.

    He said rather than be instruments to execute violence, they should vote for the candidates of their choice.

    Receiving the Ambassadorship of Youths award in Mushin at an event organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mushin chapter, held at the local government secretariat, Bamigboye said election is critical to nation building.

    The council boss, represented by his Special Adviser on Revenue and Political Matters, Kehinde Babatunde, said he working to reduce violence in the local government.

    The guest speaker, who is the Deputy Director, Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Sulaimon Ogunmuyiwa, represented by the Chairman, NYCN, Oshodi branch, Etiko Olusegun, said diverse interest was one of the causes of electoral violence.

    He advised youths to embrace conflict resolution and dialogue to solve problems.