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General News of Saturday, 17 December 2022

Source: www.vanguardngr.com

2023: Yiaga Africa reports 46 cases of physical violence in 27 states

YIAGA Africa YIAGA Africa

As anxiety feels the political space, Yiaga Africa, yesterday, reported 46 cases of physical violence in 27 States since political parties started campaigns on September 28, 2022.

This was contained in Yiaga Africa’s Watching The Vote First National Pre-Election Observation, PREO, between November 12 to November 24, 2022, and posited ‘Will election security and executive impunity shape electoral outcomes in 2023?’

According to the report, “In some LGAs in the country, a total of 60 reports of violent verbal attacks and 46 reports of violent physical attacks were received from 27 States of the country. However, these reports were more dominant in Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Niger Katsina, Rivers and Oyo states.

“As part of Yiaga Africa’s effort to identify potential triggers or indicators of election violence and alert the relevant stakeholders of the same. WTV LTOs reported on incidents of violence in their various LGAs across the country and tracked potential early warning signs of violence including hate speech, physical and verbal violence, large movements of people into and out of LGAs, vandalism and recruitment of thugs.

“A total of 21 critical incident reports have been received and confirmed within the reporting period. These reports include incidents of hate speech, attacks on rallies, fighting between communities, attacks of INEC facilities, attacks against candidates or their supporters, voters’ inducement and vandalism or destruction of properties belonging to either candidates or their supporters.

“Reports of these incidences of violence and early warning signs were received from some LGAs in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, Kano, Niger, Rivers, Ogun and Osun states respectively.”

Meanwhile, the report also indicated that offices of INEC recorded highest attacks in the South-West geopolitical zone.

“Attacks or destruction of INEC facilities: three per cent of WTV observers heard of attacks on INEC facilities; these attacks were more concentrated in the southwest geo-political zone in this reporting period.

“Most recently the Commission’s offices in Abeokuta South LGA in Ogun and Ede South LGA of Osun state were set ablaze by hoodlums which resulted in the destruction and loss of 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, and eight electric power generators.”

Other findings by Yiaga Africa include; Voter inducements and purchase of PVCs; Vandalism and destruction of properties belonging to political parties or candidates.

“Based on findings from its observation of the general political and electoral environment in all the 774 LGA in this reporting period, Yiaga Africa WTV makes the following key recommendations to stakeholders; Attacks by unknown gunmen and Herdsmen; Attacks on candidate; Government restrictions on political activities: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)- To protect the integrity of the election, INEC in collaboration with NOA, relevant CSOs and other relevant bodies should intensify voter education engagements across the country.

“This should include intentional voter education targeted at women, youth and persons with disabilities.

“As the EMB with the oversight powers over political parties, INEC should ensure issues of undue restrictions imposed by state government on campaigns and on oppositions political parties/candidates in respective states are addressed as a fundamental breach of the Electoral Act.

“INEC should as a matter of urgency convene an emergency session of the Inter-Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to address the need for security for INEC staff, offices and facilities

“INEC should leverage available partnerships and invest in popularizing the innovation in the electoral process; like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC results portal, the new polling units in the state and the plan for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) voting.

“Security Agencies; As security is indispensable in the conduct of free, fair and credible elections, we recommend early planning and coordination to meet the security challenges across the country. We call on the security agencies to swiftly investigate all instances of politically motivated violence and coordinate with other stakeholders in investigating any breaches of the electoral code of conduct.

“Security agencies should deploy intelligence and employ preventive measures to neutralize existing security threats against the destruction of INEC offices and materials, if this trend is not curbed voters will be disenfranchised from exercising their constitutional right to vote in a peaceful and secure environment.

“Security agents should ensure they apprehend and prosecute the hoodlums attacking the INEC offices in Ogun and Osun states etc.

“Political Parties; As election campaigns get underway, candidates and parties should work to embrace issue-based campaigns and avoid all forms of hate speech and inflammatory remarks.

“This will significantly improve the quality of election-related conversations while also minimizing violence.

“Political parties should also embark on voter education, to encourage voters to turn up and vote on Election Day.

“Election Security and Executive Impunity Top Citizens Concerns

“Civil Society Organizations (CSOs); Yiaga Africa calls on CSOs to invest in in-depth civic and voter education that also includes education on the new Electoral Act and the opportunities for a credible election.

“Development Partners; Yiaga Africa calls on election stakeholders, especially development partners, to invest in multi-stakeholder collaboration for in-depth scenario planning and risk mitigation strategies for the election”, it added.