By Alabi Williams, posted October 23, 2023
On the road to the November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has alerted to waves of insecurity that could affect smooth conduct of the exercise. Apart from general insecurity around the country, which is frustrating enough, these three states are enacting the exact opposite of the requirements that enable democracy to thrive.
Reports from the states are replete with election related violence, murder, arson and misapplication of state power and resources to dominate and disorient the opposition. Unfortunately, law enforcement is complicit, most times surrendering to the dictates of those who are in government.
The level of desperation to win at all costs is sky high. Some are using methods that are very undemocratic and uncivil to pass across campaign messages. Instead of using convincing languages that human beings understand to woo voters and explain why they are the best, they have resorted to burning down campaign offices and assets of the opposition.
Even military usurpers did not burn down homes and offices of politicians and political parties. They employed very persuasive speeches to advertise their messianic mission. And their messages resonated well. But these politicians have nothing to sell. God forbid that they mislead the country along that former route.
Let it be clear as daylight that if they destroy this democracy through crooked ways and means, they will all be forcefully retired. But if they manage it well in the spirit of live and let others live, democracy shall flourish, as citizens continue to moderate the processes through periodic free and fair elections.
At an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), held in July to review the 2023 general elections, INEC warned of the spate of violence ongoing in the three states. Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, tasked politicians and other stakeholders to draw lessons from the man-made challenges that endangered the last elections.
At that consultative meeting were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who both promised to make every election in Nigeria peaceful. Ribadu even thanked INEC for ensuring that the 2023 election was peaceful. It depends on Ribadu’s understanding of what is peaceful.
Two weeks ago, the Commission again reminded parties to rein in their supporters. In a statement signed by its National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the Commission charged parties and candidates to avoid actions and utterances that could heat up the polity. The point was reinforced last Friday by the INEC chair.
Field reports on 2023 elections: The Nigeria Police Force announced that it arrested 781 suspects for electoral offences across the country during the last election. It was the former Inspector General, Alkali Usman, who announced the numbers at an event to evaluate the Force’s performance. It said that 145 offences were recorded in the presidential election culminating in 203 arrests and 578 arrests during the Governorship and State Assembly elections, with 304 incidents recorded. The Police promised that suspects would be prosecuted expeditiously and transparently. There is an Electoral Offences Desk in the Office of the IGP, Abuja, which coordinated the processing of offences and offenders for INEC’s legal department.
On its part, INEC announced in July it was set to prosecute 215 cases of electoral offences committed during the 2023 general elections, in partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association. Yakubu made this announcement, but he did not explain how the Commission sorted the cases and why the number of offences/offenders dropped drastically from what the Police announced.
Some of the offences bordered on assault, death, threat to life and hate speeches that citizens saw all over news platforms including credible television stations. Youth corps members who served as ad hoc staff with INEC were molested and threatened. Some were kidnapped for days. INEC and the Police are yet to tell citizens where the offenders are kept as they await trial or whether they were granted bail, administratively and by the courts.
On the number of persons killed, there are different accounts, depending on who recorded the counting. According to the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), no fewer than 109 persons were killed in election-related crimes in the three months linked to the election across the country.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) put the number of those killed on election days at no fewer than 21. In its preliminary report, the Mission said there were “multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation” interrupting the polls in several voting units.
Checks with the NBA Abuja headquarters, last Thursday, on how far it has progressed with prosecuting the 2023 electoral offenders as pledged with INEC did not yield any substance. An official said he would need time to do a proper release on the matter after he had cleared with the president of the body.
It is hoped that the offenders and the exhibits have not been tampered with and that premium is paid on electoral offences the same way election petitions are given expedited hearing. If perpetrators of electoral crimes are not tried alongside the petitions, much of the evidence petitioners need to prove cases of violence and voter intimidation before the tribunals would be lost. At the end of the day, it will be said that petitioners could not present evidence to support their claims.
The situation is made more pathetic for families of victims who were brutally killed for daring to exercise their voting right or those that offered to serve the country as in the case of INEC staff who were killed.
Let’s not forget the INEC ad hoc staff in Cross River State, Miss Glory Effiom Essien, who was hit by stray bullet as she boarded a boat on her way to Bakassi. She was treated but nothing was heard of the gunmen who carried out the assault. Same for the Lagos resident, Mrs Jennifer Eredi, who was stabbed in the face in Aguda, Surulere. That incident was all over the social media when armed political thugs had a field day, as they snatched election boxes and prevented citizens to vote particular candidates and parties. No update yet regarding the prosecution of those offenders.
Without prosecuting and bringing to a close those glaring offences arising from the 2023 elections, there is nothing on ground to deter prospective offenders in the Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa governorship elections. As a matter of fact, there is more at stake now and more incentive to be crooked in governorship elections than in the last general election.
It was reported that 100 INEC staff and ad hoc officials were kidnapped in Kogi in the wee hours of Sunday, March 19 at Obajana Junction on their way to Lokoja from Kupa North and South Wards. The report was that they were determined to get to the Collation Centre but were waylaid at 2:00 a.m. It did not make any sense that they were not accompanied by the Police in the first place, suggesting that somebody was up to something devilish. That must be avoided.
In Imo, during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise of 2022, INEC had to suspend the exercise after its official, Nwokorie Anthony, was killed and two others declared missing at NkwoIhitte (PU004) in Amakohia Ward RA02 of IhitteUboma local council area. The two were later rescued.
The road to 2023 in Imo was rough and bumpy. Apart from the general criminality attributed to unknown gunmen in the South-east and the IPOB agitation, the desperation among political stakeholders fanned the embers of violence. The state was relatively calm before the Supreme Court ruling that elevated Hope Uzodimma from the fourth position to number one in the 2019 governorship election. In the bid to quickly consolidate and impress the Buhari presidency that he could permanently capture the state for APC, certain principalities needed to be forcefully uprooted. The pushback is what is responsible for the excessive collateral damage the state has recorded, otherwise, nothing traditionally recommends Imo as the headquarters of unknown gunmen or IPOB. Political desperation should be held accountable.
Nineteen INEC staff and ad hoc officials were kidnapped on their way to conduct the House of Assembly election in Ideato South Local Council Area on March 11. When they were released, all the sensitive election materials they had with them were declared ‘missing’.
The stakes for Imo and Kogi are higher. Just as the two states went on over-drive to deliver APC in the last elections, they have more reasons to do same on November 11. Uzodimma is returning to Government House for a second term if he wins, while Governor Yahaya Bello covets the privilege to produce a successor and become a godfather.
Bayelsa was not spared the spate of electoral violence but the scale was mild, perhaps for the obvious reason that there was no contest for the governorship. Yet, there were reports of destruction of ballot materials in four Wards of Constituency Two in Ogbia local council area during the State Assembly election. Materials for Ogbia Wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 were reportedly carted away by armed men.
The stakes seem higher for Governor DuoyeDiri, who seeks a second term. Former minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva wants to return to Government House as well, despite challenges of eligibility in courts. He’s been sworn into that office twice. Whatever the outcome, the battle will be for the PDP, Labour Party and the APC to duel.
The three states will be tested on how civilized and up to date they are with the Electoral Act 2022.
The Act frowns on brigandage, ballot snatching and over-voting. Violence attracts severe penalty unless INEC is up to some mischief. Law enforcers should not work for ruling parties. They must work to rescue democracy. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), does not permit manipulation of numbers, that is if INEC is determined.
Avoid stage-managed inconclusive elections. Watch out for actors who will export violence into districts where opponents have voting advantage in the hope to reap from the penalty.
NOTE: This article was first carried by The Guardian. Opinions of columnists are theirs and do NOT necessarily represent the views of DDNews.